18

18 - achtzehn

Monday, Klara became an official adult. When I stop to think about, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. That tiny (ok maybe not that tiny - she was the longest baby in the nursery) baby changed our world 18 years ago. We still joke about the fact that her first bath at home in our New York apartment, we used every wash cloth we owned and Stephan had to go to the basement to do another load of laundry. I remember our first museum - she was maybe 6 weeks old and we went to see the Woman in Gold at the Neue Galerie. She slept through the whole thing.

As new parents we were in awe and fear all in the same breath. She quickly taught us and we grew with her. And so, we will grow again. She will show us just how she can handle things on her own and we will grow to the task of letting her do so.

Saturday, Klara and Stephan pack up and head to Vienna. He will stay for a little bit just to make sure she gets settled in her space, does all the registrations and sets up doctors. For now, we are soaking in the final minutes as a 4 person household. We joke that we are all fighting to take over her room as our office... but the truth is - we are all fighting to be in her space in hopes that we will have comfort being in her room and being around her things.

The comfort we do have, when we look at her, we know she is ready. So go, Klara, be you! Go on that great adventure. Just remember to wash your hands and wear those masks. And that we love you.