August 10

We went to Oakland today to visit an old friend of Adam's (who, over time, has become a friend of mine as well). She and her husband had their first baby six months ago and we hadn't had the chance to meet him yet, so it seemed like a good time to go.

The Little Boys were completely taken with baby Ari.

Of course, he's a sweet, calm, happy boy who didn't so much as whimper as we passed him around, so I think we were all taken with him. But I was particularly struck by how Brady and Isaac (and Abby, really) wanted to spend time sitting with him. They held his little hands and played peek-a-boo and smiled at him and made googly eyes. Isaac was so inspired by the experience that he asked us if we could stop by Babies R Us on the way home to pick up a new baby. (Yup. He did.)

It was touching and it did my heart good to see them so enchanted by Ari. It brought back sweet memories I have of Logan cuddling and snuggling with Brady in his hospital bed when Brady was just a few days old.

So for those memories and for his siblings' affection for the most fragile and helpless among us... I'm thankful.