when claire was finally discharged from the hospital for good on september 14th, my mom came and stayed with us for a week. she cooked for us, held claire so i could sleep, cleaned our house, gave just the right amount of advice and provided the steadfast support i needed as a new mommy facing very difficult circumstances. as the end of that week approached, i asked her to live with me. she didn’t think adrian would go for that. but what i was trying to say in a humourous way was how amazed i am to have such a giving and loving mother. as the weeks have gone on, she has continued to be a source of comfort, companionship and strength. i’ve always known that i have an exceptional mother but since claire has arrived it’s like there is this new layer to our relationship. i couldn’t be more thankful.