Provision

Dear universe,

Thank you for kindness in the world. Thank you for connection. Thank you for provision. One the eve of Ezra's 3rd birthday party, an unexpected package arrived from Connecticut. I unwrapped it in surprise. What could possibly be in this package? As we unwrapped the presents, we discovered a Flip Video Camera. All of our videos of Ezra in the first 3 years of his life are grainy, poorly lit little videos.

This video camera seems to transform even a dimly lit room into a kindly lit setting, and we have already filmed Ezra in action. Thank you to Lauren and Nico, for sending such an unexpected gift that has returned daddy Arie into the Paparazzi of Ezra's first years!

Kindness,

Noelle Aguayo

The Passage of Time in Toddlerville

Before I gave birth to Ezra, many told me to value and cherish his babyness, because it would disappear in the "blink of an eye" and many other iterations of the same message and metaphor.

I do my best to enjoy every single moment with him and I thought I was in the moment until today, when he quite suddenly turned three. Yes, three!

Last night, I held Antara's brand new baby girl Aven. I looked into her tiny face, eyes closed, no longer than my fore arm, and I wondered how it could be that Ezra was ever this tiny and fragile.

Aven's peaceful countenance, her little squeaks and chirps, her creatura nature was a powerful reminder of the state of fragility in which we start our lives and how incredibly we depend on our parents, our community to nurture us along the way.

In that vein, I am blessed to be in the circle that will love and cherish baby Aven, and I am so blessed to have such a wonderful community of friends, family nearby, and family overseas who send their love and consistency despite the distance.

On Ezra's birthday, I send thanks to the universe to have such a beautiful, loving, humorous, intelligent and joyful son who connects me so fully to the life process.

Happy Birthday Ezra Cole!