We met Willow exactly 3 months ago today, and in such a short time our lives have been changed forever. We are so in love with this little girl who eats, poops, smiles, and forces us to prioritize her and our family. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much she has grown in such a short time, so I thought I'd share a little update on how she is doing and what's new with our family!

Willow was born weighing 5lb 14oz, and though I don't know her exact weight (I will find out today!) she has at least doubled her size since then. When we first brought her home she barely fit into newborn sizes but now she's firmly in the 3-month range, and I packed away her itty-bitty doll clothes about 2 weeks ago. It's hard to believe how much she's grown, especially when she still seems so small!

As far as milestones, I feel like there are SO many in the first few months...

Sunday was a completely overwhelming day for me, in the best possible way. My dear friends threw a baby sprinkle (a baby shower that happens after the baby already arrives) to celebrate the birth and life of Willow. I thought about posting on social media that day how much it all meant to me, but I was too overcome with emotions and exhaustion to say anything. Now, a few days later, I am ready.

One year ago, in the middle of August, Nathan and I decided to take our names off the adoption list for awhile. We had just experienced our third failed adoption in 7 short months, and it was too much for us to bear. After the third fell through we very quietly took a long weekend away in Alexandria. I got a massage, we ate good food, and spent time reconnecting. It was honestly a very difficult weekend for us. We were exhausted after just having come back from our second trip to Africa that year and emotionally worn out from all the turmoil that began with Joel's passing in January.