The first three months were a delightful blur of panic, confusion, and googling “Is my baby supposed to make that noise?” every four minutes. 
Then along came Vidah, our incredible au pair, and suddenly parenting didn’t feel like a high-stakes escape room with no clues.Watching Joni evolve has been the best reality show we never asked for but now can’t stop bingeing. 
She’s sampling solid foods like a tiny Rosenfeld Michelin critic drinking from her own cup like an adult with questionable coordination (uses the straw but choke on the water?), and cruising along furniture while eyeing her next big milestone: walking. We’re ready….right?? 
Her personality gets bigger every day, part sunshine, part mischief, part absolutely-knows-what-she-wants-even-though-she-has-no-words. Our first major challenge is Juneau’s limited childcare/preschool options. 
Despite getting her on all the lists at 5 months there aren’t availabilities. Meanwhile, the state of pediatric healthcare and rising anti-vaccine nonsense has me composing strongly worded emails and planning international travel for vaccines in my sleep. 
Sometimes I worry that Alaska might limit her opportunities… and then I remember she gets to grow up surrounded by mountains, fresh air, and eagles that may or may not be plotting to steal her snacks. Pretty solid trade-off. I loved growing up here. 
Despite all the anxieties of raising a tiny human in a wild world, this gig is absolutely my favorite. She still greets me from naps with a smile that tugs at my heart strings. 
She laughs when I roughhouse with her. She is already a seasoned traveler, only one car-vomit incident so far and it wasn’t even in our car, so that basically doesn’t count. 
Year two promises more adventures: more trips, more milestones, and probably more food flung to the grateful dogs. We are excited for it all, and incredibly grateful for this fierce, hilarious little person who has made life bigger, brighter, and occasionally smellier. 
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