Three

My husband described the hospital stay as being very much like a private vacation. Everything stopped, we were all together -- three of us, now -- without the interruption of working. It felt like a cocoon, almost. We only had visits from my in-laws, who stayed with us for two months, helping out with our new little guy. Other than that, it was just hospital staff, our pediatrician, meal service.

How I miss the insulation, the protection from daily life. Those days in our suite were like heaven. I find myself wishing for the same solitude, the same time to bond as a family. We are so busy now. Both my husband and I work full-time. X goes to daycare. The moments together are precious and few, as everyday life takes us over.

So, I try to savor the memories of those first few days when it really was just the three of us, feeling safe. Feeling the love with such intensity. Feeling amazed at the life ahead of us, now that we were three.