When I was expecting my first daughter I was like most new parents-to-be in that I was running around like crazy putting things in place for an event that I couldn’t even wrap my head around; I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like after this child was born – what our life would look like and how things would change. And so I did what any new mother does when they don’t know what to expect – prepare for any and every possibility. Honestly, when I think back to the lengths I went to prepare to bring home this small person who had only the most fundamental of needs I have to laugh. What did a newborn baby need with an “exercise” play area with approximately four-hundred thousand interconnecting parts? Four wardrobes of clothes that had all been pre-washed in the appropriate infant-friendly detergent? A highchair of varying heights and inclines? Ultimately all she needed was me, some clothing basics (that did not involve in any way, shape, or form frilly undergarments and snap jeans), warm and cozy blankets, and enough diapers to circle the globe.

The funny thing was that after she was born I forgot all about the stuff and started to think of the sentimental gifts I wanted to give her at this time. I took as many pictures and videos as I could in my sleep-deprived state, wrote in her baby book, and journaled my experiences as a new mother, hoping that these would all be precious gifts to her one day.

Around the same time we purchased our first home and we were looking for something to fill the foyer in our new entrance; it had this very high ceiling – it was a beautiful space. And what we ultimately found was a grandfather clock that would up filling a number of different roles. It would be the grandfather clock for our home – and our daughter. More in the next post…