Happy Birthday, Daniel and James!
My grad school friends and I have a hard time believing Daniel is 8. He was born when we were taking a reproductive health class about the ways that c-sections can be lifesaving and his timely and safe delivery stands out in our minds because of the context in which we celebrated it. But didn’t we just take that class a couple of years ago? Certainly it wasn’t EIGHT years ago that I used my Columbia student ID to waltz right on to that maternity wing and visit Denise and Daniel mere minutes after he was born. (Thank you, Denise, for not calling security to escort me out when I showed up unannounced — man I’m embarrassed now that I did that!) It’s weird how kids seem to age in double- or triple-time while not much time passes at all for adults like us.
Anyway, we traveled up to NY last weekend to celebrate (a bit early) the birthdays of both James and Daniel. Nico had fun, as always, playing with his cousins. And he left with some new favorite toys that Daniel and James have outgrown. Some of his very favorite toys were first loved by Daniel and James (remember Doggie?) — thank you boys for sharing with him! Some photos from our visit are here.
Unfortunately there are some other birthday celebrations coming up that we’re not going to be able to travel for. Dana turned 16 last week and she’s having a party this weekend. And Brady is turning 2 in a few weeks, but for the second year in a row we’re going to miss his party. 
We’ll be sure to have a piece of cake from afar so we can feel like a part of the celebration. 
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As an aside, we are looking into some new software so we can do better slideshows and video shows and hopefully return to putting photos on the blog. Thanks for sticking with us while this blog has been text-only! I hope it will be jazzier soon.
Wow, eight years already? Feels almost like yesterday in some ways. Watching children grow up is such an amazing way to mark the passage of time — now I know why grown-ups always seemed amazed by “how fast” we were growing up as kids.
If the past 8 years went fast for you, imagine how it feels for me?! And just you wait — 8-year-olds have some pretty mind-boggling ideas. Actually, Kristen, you came to the hospital when I was still laboring in the hallway, because it was a crazy, crazy night at Columbia (who knew?!). That was only round one … But I distinctly remember seeing you come walking over with your ID and I was like, “where AM I?”
Love these pictures, thanks. Did Martin get into his PJs early? He seems to be ready for bed from quite early in the festivities.
Denise