Elliot is 8 months old today! He is the best baby ever. I truly have never met a baby as calm and easy-going as he. His smile is always at the ready, and he is friendly to pretty much everyone he meets. He rarely fusses or cries – mostly only at the end of the day when he’s ready to go to bed, which, hey, we all get fussy when we’re ready for bed. In fact, he got his first tooth yesterday, and the only sign of teething he showed was a reluctance to eat.

Elliot has brought so much joy to our family. The kids adore him, and he adores them, too. Jackson is Elliot’s special big brother – they are more than friends; their connection is undeniable. Elliot loves Gracie, too – he lights up when he sees her, then reaches for her long blonde hair. He kicks and squeals when he sees Daddy, which does Chad’s heart good. And of course he loves me. The Milk Lady is pretty important to him. The feeling is obviously mutual.

For years, I wanted another baby. I didn’t want to just be done after Grace; I had always wanted four kids and it was hard for me to settle for two. But raising Grace is hard. The toddler years were darned near impossible with her, what with all the hospital stays and new diagnoses. Everything worked out perfectly, though – Elliot came along at exactly the right time (right after I started to accept that two is a good number of kids, haha).

I never anticipated that my career would end if I had another child. I did not foresee a legal education company engaging in such blatantly discriminatory behavior. But so be it. If I am being forced to choose between my job and my child, there is no choice at all. No one ever said on their deathbed, “Gee, I wish I had worked more!” And I know with all my heart that being with the children is the one thing that will make me happiest. Even though the future is uncertain and money will undoubtedly be tight, I cannot bargain my children away for anything. They are my life, my lights, my soul, my raison d’etre.

Seventeen months ago, I had no idea about the incredible changes our family was about to undergo. But here we are, and it’s the best thing ever to have Elliot in our lives. I love my little man so much. He has enriched our lives beyond belief. Thank goodness for him.