Our 'Traditional' Family Expands

Meet Dominic Dean Byers. He arrived in a Columbus, Ohio, hospital a little more than a month ago and is the son of Grace's dad, Rob, and Rob's wife of six years, Tara.  It's been a rough road for Rob and Tara, between their own pregnancy struggles and major disappointments during the adoption process. It's all behind them now, though, and Dominic, most likely to be known as Nick, is home.

Grace is over the moon. She's been talking about her "baby brother" since the moment she found out (which was at the last minute, because she had already experienced some dashed hopes).  

I've been reminded of when Joe and I told Grace we were expecting Eva. She grinned, and said, "my family is huge." She then spent the ensuing months talking about what it would be like to have a little sister and what a great big sister she planned to be.

When Eva met Nick about a week ago, she immediately called him "baby brodder," having listened to Grace's excited descriptions for weeks. 

He's now 10 pounds and hardly ever cries, although he makes his needs known. His name is a nod to his largely Italian descent (and Rob is 1/2 Italian anyway).

It will be interesting to figure out how to explain this to Eva as she continues to mature. Eva is a funny, goofy toddler, but she's also sharp and perceptive. I just keep in mind how well Grace has drifted with the tide over the years. 

It's all good.