Tiny footprints: past and present

I was reminded this weekend of how much a life can change in a short time. Specifically, how much our family has changed in less than three years.

Back then, J. and I were DINKS (dual income, no kids) absorbed in our respective careers and volunteer activities and able to jet off for great vacations to spots like Paris.

We debated whether to continue as the sometimes silly, footloose and fancy free aunt and uncle to our bevy of nieces and nephews, or have kids of our own.

1970s party in 1994

Eventually, we agreed that we wanted kids... at some point.

The point came in late 2006. I found out I was pregnant and tried to come up with a unique way to tell J. that wasn't too cutesy and that would resonate in his basketball-obsessed life.

When he came home one evening, I handed him a small box. Puzzled, and always eager to add to his collection, shook it and asked, "Is it a watch?

"Uh, no. Just open it." He did, and found these.

He looked up, still confused and said, "I don't get it."

"We're going to have a little point guard," I explained. I don't have a picture of the whoop and fist pump he threw in the air in excitement, but the shot below was just a few moments later.

Fast forward almost a year and that little baby, then 11 months old, finally rocked her tiny tennis shoes while watching Barack Obama rock the Democratic National Convention on his way to his historic election as president of the United States.

Fast-forward another year and a half or so and our newest addition is getting his chance to wear them too. Except unlike his petite sister, who held it down on the far left of the growth charts in the 5th percentile for height and weight, Dylan is in the 85-95th percentile and is wearing the shoes at just three and a half months old. He's also 16.5 pounds. She's 26 pounds at age 2 1/2. This little brother may be towering over his big sister within the year.He is a big, happy, mellow fellow...
While his sister is a busy bee of verbosity who rarely skips a chance to hug, kiss or "pet" him, as she puts it, rubbing his hair lightly.

Together, they've transformed our solitary lives in just over two years...

and we can't imagine our lives without their smiling faces.