One year ago today...

...I took a home pregnancy test, the results of which began our nine-month journey to parenthood. And here we are now, with a beautiful little boy--a nearly-4-month-old who is everything we live for.

Mommy and Daddy love you, Pookie!

Another first today.

This one was the first day of daycare. As sad as it was, it became a necessity for us. We would really like for me to be able to stay at home with Torin, but the bills won't just automatically dissipate. He did very well, though, and he's worn out this evening.

In happier news, Torin began to laugh last night. We got it on video, so I hope I can post it here soon. It's one of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard. It makes me want to cry. My sweet, sweet boy.

The company I work for was sold this week, and I am now working for the new owners as a temporary contractor. However, I've got an interview tomorrow (my third with this potential employer), and I expect it to go well. Either way, we'll manage, and life will go on. But I'm excited nonetheless!

Three months!

Yep, Torin is already 3 months old as of today. Thirteen weeks!

To celebrate his big day, he enjoyed some time in his new Bumbo seat:

And he rolled over from his tummy to his back for the first time ever! He's in a very happy mood today, and so is Mommy.

So this is parenthood. I've never had so much pride.

1-1-11: A year of firsts

For the first time ever, Joey and I rang in the new year as a family. We had our little Thor in his Rock 'N Play Sleeper, just in front of us, as we watched Inception and made a toast (me with a beer, Joey with a couple of sips of scotch).

I look forward to all we have in store for 2011 as new parents. On the agenda for this year are first roll-overs, first teeth, first crawls, first steps, first Easter Bunny visits, first Mother's Day and Father's Day celebrations, and so many more exciting moments.

In fact, we're already off to a momentous start: Torin held up his head higher and longer than ever during today's tummy time:

"I don't have a big head; you just have little eyes."

As Torin's 3-month "birthday" approaches, he is becoming more and more interactive. For the past week or so, each day has held a new surprise: less colic, more vocalizations, more smiles, the beginnings of laughter, and more interest in the world. And with each passing day, I wonder what he and I will discover together.

Here's to a 2011 seen through the eyes of a babe.

Our first family Christmas!

Today was a busy day for Torin! After giving Mommy and Daddy their Christmas gifts at midnight (a book about Metropolis and Martina McBride concert tickets, respectively), he went to bed; slept a sound, solid nine hours; and then woke up happy. He ate, put on his "My First Christmas" outfit, and went to his grandparents' house, where he proceeded to eat and sleep and eat and sleep throughout the day and evening. All that attention wore him out!

My little Pookie made out like a bandit, as they say, when it comes to gifts. He got an ExerSaucer, his "first cell phone," some blocks, and lots of teething toys. Of course, he can't use many of these things yet, but he gets closer and closer each day. He's growing like you wouldn't believe.

But Mommy and Daddy had the best present of all this year: Torin himself. It has been such a joy to finally spend Christmas as our own little family. In the coming years, Christmas will only get more magical, and I can't wait to see it all through the eyes of our precious boy.

The happy family.

The greatest gift anyone could ever receive.

We just had a moment.

Pookie and I. We had what I hope was not a one-sided "bonding" moment. I lay him down in his swing to calm him down. I turned on the swing's music and mobile, and sat nearby, waiting for him to doze off. We listened to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and the mechanics of the swing as it carried him left, then right, then left, then right...

Even with the spinning lights and the mini-menagerie of the mobile over his head, he wanted to stare at me. And so there we were, staring into each other's eyes. Pookie's eyelids would start to fall, and then he would open them again at once so he could keep staring at his mommy.

I got teary-eyed as I shared this moment with my son. I thought about how I went all out on gifts for him on his very first Christmas. And Santa is bringing him his ExerSaucer and a few other goodies. I know he's too young to understand it all now, but I want him to look back and know that his first Christmas was very special. And I hope to be able to go all out for him every Christmas.

But for tonight, just for tonight, I wanted nothing more than to look at my precious baby boy and capture his gaze and send him off to sleep in comfort and security. May the first thing he learns be that his mommy loves him more than anything in the universe.

Reach out and touch someone.

Torin has started reaching toward my face and touching me when he's lying on the changing table. And I have fallen in love with him even more.