About a year ago now I was recovering from the delivery of my second child. It was... interesting. We were stressed about money, about life, about the challenges that another NICU stay was going to mean for us. And you know what? We made it through. It has been a wild and crazy year, full of fun and tears and all the things that make up a family life.

I wouldn't have had it any other way. I wouldn't change one moment of the past year, even though it was by turns a horrible thing and the most wonderful thing. Hearing my kids laugh together. Seeing the way that my daughter has blossomed just by seeing her little brother grow and play. Holding them both on my stomach while they're climbing over me with giggles and tickles. That's one of the blessings of motherhood. It's not always about the dishes and laundry. It's not always a chore. Sometimes it's a chance to revisit the best parts of your own childhood all over again. This time, though, I'm the mommy and I get to say that yes, we can have ice cream and waffles just for the hell of it. I get to say that we can ignore the “Rules” of mealtime and naptime, which evens out all the moments that I have to be tough and enforce those same rules. We can't ignore the rule all the time, or even frequently, but sometimes we can. Sometimes we can throw caution to the wind and just enjoy the sunshine on the carpet in pools of gold, and let the laughter bubble up from deep down until it infects everyone around.