My sweet baby turned two months old on Valentines Day and we celebrated with a visit to the pediatrician. Tucker’s growth continues at the same rate as when he was two weeks old: Weight 12 lbs, 7 oz (62nd percentile) and Height 24 ½ inches (98th percentile). Over 2 feet tall already!!
Being on maternity leave, I’ve had the luxury of watching all of the Winter Olympics skating on the NBC Sports Network. I have enjoyed seeing the performances of all 24 pairs/dance and 30 men instead of the very few performances shown in primetime. I was so moved last week by the short program performance of American skater Jeremy Abbott. How many times in life do we fall down and crash right into a wall? The 10 seconds or so that he laid beside the wall felt like an eternity. And I was certain that he would have to walk off the ice with an incomplete short program. But to my amazement, and that of spectators around the world, Jeremy got up and continued his program – not even missing any of the required elements. This was an amazing act of true grit and championship. Later, Jeremy said it was the support of the audience that swayed him to continue. And I reflected that when I have fallen down and crashed in my life, the support of friends and family has been essential for continuing on to an important goal. Such a fall and crash, can only happen with taking risks. One must leap into the air, chancing failure as well as success. I am in awe of that moment when Jeremy stood up and skated right back into his performance. I hope that I am able to continue taking risks in my life to reach my dreams. And recovering that quickly when setbacks occur.
I am a huge fan of the other American male skater as well, Jason Brown. I was fortunate to see his wonderful performance at the U.S. Nationals last month. And then he went on to skate beautifully in the Olympics as well. I was taken by his sheer childlike enthusiasm at making it to the Olympics, and then finishing in the top ten. Both of these young men make me proud to be the mother of a son.
So who knows what Tucker will decide to love and pursue in his life. He could be a (very tall) figure skater too! In any case, I believe that I will remember the Winter Olympics of 2014 as a part of the precious time we are spending together, as he turns two months old. Anything is possible.