Harper Hawke Backstrom came into this world Wednesday, August 10, 2011, at 21:24. Due September 3, his arrival was accelerated by a torn bag of waters, but we are happy to announce that he is healthy, handsome, and nursing well.

Harper was born in the same hospital, in the same room, assisted by the same midwife, though through a much different labor. I am thankful that we were not completely unprepared, and I am thankful for those friends and family who dropped what they were doing to help us in our time of need: Patty C., Donna C., Jenny and Justin T., thank you for letting us focus on the task at hand. Mom and Dad, thank you for being such good caretakers for our firstborn as we wait for our family to be whole again.

Thank you to our midwives and nurses, who have taken such good care of us these past few days.

Thank you to our friends and family who wished us well and kept us in their thoughts. We look forward to getting to know Harper with you, and seeing the world through his eyes.

Marshall has always been an amazing thing to behold. To be a first-time father with essentially no baby experience, everything was brand new. Like many things in life, it is moments of joy that bury any lack thereof. You easily forget the diaper disasters, the lost sleep, the crying fits you are powerless to end. Everyone experiences these, but to see your child sleeping peacefully, to hold him as he rests against your chest, to watch him smile and laugh and stand and walk and eat for the first time, those are the moments we all live for.

I have always loved my son, but I have looked forward to this time in his life. Babies can feel unknowable at times, but my son is no longer a baby. He will hold my hand and lead me into his “Sun Room,” pull me to the floor and have me sit down, and hand me an instrument while he positions himself in front of his piano. He sings songs, he repeats words with understanding. Last night I asked him to take the clothespin I was holding, and slide it under the door to the basement stairs. He did so with great determination and seriousness, pushing the pin under the door, laying prone on his belly.

These are not trivial things.

His words surprise us, and he finds new ones every day. He joins many of them together, now. “Bye bye <pause> Bella. Bye bye <pause> Neko.” (He has recently found his “k,” and can say “Neko” instead of “Nono.”) “Blue sky,” “sunny day.” Food is an important part of his vocabulary. People. Emotions. “Happy baby,” “hurt,” “stop it” (frustration). And, though we aren’t really sure where it came from, “Happy birthday,” iterating birthday wishes to everyone he can remember.

There is this explosion of activity, and it catches me by surprise when I look back through time. I can clearly remember those first months in the old apartment, tenderly holding this new person who I barely knew. Now he is becoming his own person. The person I looked forward to meeting for so long.

You are almost two years old, Marshall. I resolve to give you all my love, and always put you first. May I never take you for granted.

Tofu is this evening’s exciting dish, but Charlotte did some research and we’ll be waiting to introduce that again. Sorry, guy!

So far we’ve mostly stuck with your basic fruit and vegetable aisle fare, organic when possible, prepared for baby here at home. We’ve also added a food mill to our arsenal of tools. Charlotte is very thorough in researching the safety of each food for an infant, which should be no surprise to anyone who knows her well. The hardest part is yet to come, when Marshall offers me a spoonful of spinach with all the innocence in the world.

It’s added something new to Marshall’s day, which is great. We love to engage him and let him surprise us, and food provides plenty of opportunity for that. It will be a long time before he and I share a BLT, but seeds have been sewn.

(MC Frontalot photo by quinnums, Creative Commons by-cc-na 2.0.)

May 19, 2008, 11:03 AM. 8 lbs, 8 oz, 20″ long. Our healthy baby boy. Named after his great-grandfather, Marshall Turner Moulton.

I could say a lot. I will say: I am so proud of my wife for all her hard work, digging deep within herself to find the strength to push after so many hours. Thank you for this gift.