On this day...

...one year ago Lyla was a tiny embryo. I remember the weekend so well - I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat - I anticipated the next call from the lab with tears of joy and feelings of dread, all at once.

And, now here we are one year later. Our lives have been completely transformed. I wanted to write a brief update just to express that we are happy and that life is going well. Our home is a little dustier, phone calls are harder and harder to return and I'm not as organized as I used to be...but Lyla is the light of my days. I wake up and feel completely blessed with joy that I get to spend the entire day with her.

She is now 3 1/2 months, and I can't believe how quickly this year is flying by. She is a completely different baby than the one who was born back in November. She smiles at everything, is losing her hair, sleeps unreliably at night and has learned to love to nurse - yes, nursing was our first real challenge together and we made it through. I'm very proud of that.

It sounds cliche, but life is very, very good. At this point in my life's journey, I'm convinced that every tear, every fear and every horrible day of our infertility is now worth it. I hope there's a note of hope in that for anyone out there struggling with the agonizing desire to have a baby. I still read all of your blogs faithfully, and while I don't often have time to comment, I think of you all and pray regularly that a baby is on the horizon.

Lyla Q. is such an amazing miracle, and I feel so blessed to be her mommy.