Violet check in

My niece sent me a link to the results of the baby's first photo shoot and while I spent a ton of time staring at them in awe, they are not the shots that touched my heart. No, it was the casual pic of my niece holding her tiny (so tiny!) baby in her arms in the library parking lot that got to me. It was taken after they had just signed Violet up for her Summer Reading Challenge. The librarian recommends books appropriate to every age group and considering that Violet is a preemie –  her original due date hasn't even arrived yet – I find it extraordinary and wonderful that she's already been to her local public library! We can almost say she's been reading since before she was born.

Not Violet

She's wearing oversized sunglasses in the picture. They cover nearly her entire face, which is a good thing because people underestimate how hot the Midwestern sun can be and we're having a heatwave. My niece reports that the hospital warned against sunscreen for her – again, she is especially sensitive to not only to the environment but to the chemicals in even the mildest lotion. Also, she seldom opens her eyes yet. This is not unusual for a preterm baby.

My niece is positively glowing in that library parking lot picture. I am so happy for her, but also worried. The adoption is not yet finalized, so there's that. Now I'm worried about Violet's development. She is so small! Stay positive, Gal, stay positive.