Missing Michaela

Dan and Linda brought Michaela back to Minnesota for the week on Wednesday. The quieter and peaceful house of only having a newborn at home is nice, but we are missing Michaela. She's only been gone a couple of days but the emotions have already ranged from sadness, guilt, and regret to calmness, joy, and thankfulness.

Malcolm edited the last pictures we took before Danielle was born last night, and we were both reminded of Michaela. She finally decided that it was alright to go down slides by herself again. Malcolm pushed her down the slide by herself much to her dismay and fear.

(For the last four months she had always wanted to go down the slide with Malcolm or myself, even though she had figured out how to scoot herself down a slide alone.) However, after the short and gradual slide in which she remained in complete control, she was happy and proud of what she had done. A few more times down that smaller slide that day and she was primed for what was to come.

Two days later Danielle was born and everyone in Madison got visitors. While visiting, Grandpa Dan took Michaela to the park across the street to the bigger and larger slides. After an initial fear of not wanting to go down the slides again, Michaela decided to conquer them all on her own.