The Difference a Year Can Make

We're getting really close to our littlest man's first birthday. And today very clearly marks his Hebrew birthday.

Did you know that the Jewish calendar is different? We follow a lunar calendar. That's why the High Holidays can fall pretty much anywhere in September or October, why Hanukkah is sometimes at the same time as Christmas but sometimes nowhere even close, and why Easter (which is based on the timing of Passover) moves around. At least I think that's why. Admittedly, I'm not an expert on Easter.

But tonight is Erev Rosh Hashanah. That means Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year)'s eve. And I can very clearly remember what I was doing on Erev Rosh Hashanah last year. I was giving birth.

It was a bit funny, scheduling this birth, because just like my first time around, I was overdue and being induced so I had some flexibility on timing. When my wonderful OB asked me when I'd like to have the baby, I told him that there was a big, delicious, family dinner on Wednesday (September 20th) and so Thursday sounded good to me. One more chance to spend time with the family before I was drowning in a newborn's needs. A delicious meal together before life changed forever.

But when I shared that plan with my family, it didn't seem to make as much sense. Everyone in my immediate family was going to be in town on Wednesday, they wanted to go in to Toronto to be with the extended family on Thursday, the Thursday made the timing for the bris questionable because of the next Holiday, and was I really going to make my baby wait, and remain enormous and uncomfortable for another day just for the sake of not missing a meal?

So he was born on Wednesday. We missed the dinner, but dinner was brought into the hospital and it was the most delicious post-birthing dinner ever. Apples and honey and challah and brisket in the delivery room = heaven. Because he was born just after 6pm, our family got to enjoy a nice meal together and head over to the hospital to meet him. Ari got to have his apple cake and then meet his brother. And we got to start the new year off with a whole new person.

So tonight, as we celebrated together (all 26 of us!!!), I was reminded of where I was exactly one (Hebrew calendar) year ago. I am glad to have been at this year's dinner. And it's amazing to me that there were not just one, but three brand new people joining us for dinner this year!

Now that's something to celebrate.