19 months, 18 days. That's how old Natalie was when she died. And, that's how old Gabriel will be tomorrow. The months and weeks leading up to this milestone have been wracked with worry for me and Chris. It's not rational, of course. I mean, what is the likelihood that anything would happen to Gabriel at the exact same age as Natalie? Not likely, I know. But this is still a big deal. It's a major marker of time. As Gabriel has approached this age, his behavior has triggered loving memor
ies of sweet Natalie. He is like her in so many ways, especially as he learns more and more words (yes, he says "Dora" and "Boots" like Natalie did). But, he is very much his own person, too. It's such a joy to watch him interact with big sister Roslyn, while the longing for Natalie and imagining how she would fit into their dynamic is always there.Tomorrow when Gabriel wakes up in his cheerful way (he always greets me with a big "HIIII!" when I go into his room each morning), I will breathe a huge sigh of relief. Can't wait to get past this milestone. Only a few more hours...
We will always remember our precious Natalie. We are forever grateful to Roslyn and Gabriel for keeping part of her alive and for being the spectacular individuals they are. We are blessed.
