The First Six Weeks Of Mommy-ing
In short, they've been amazing, sleep deprived, wonderful, stressful, beautiful, a time of personal growth, bonding, lovely, a struggle, more precious than words can say....
So, your friends and family who already have kids always tell you that having a baby will be the most amazing thing that ever happens to you and you won't really understand that kind of love until you're there. Well, they are right. All of them. These last six weeks have been the most incredible journey of my life, outside of marrying my best friend and being his wife. I tell Shaun all the time that I can't decide who I love more - him or Charlotte. I always follow it with a sly grin and some teasing, but when I really think about it, I love them both the same amount of deeply, yet in different and unexplainable ways.
Week One: What is this wonderfully, exhausting thing that has happened to us? That first week is a bit of a blur. I really think you just stumble your way through it hoping you don't break your baby or starve it. I just remember being really tired, trying to physically recover from the delivery, struggling to figure out feedings and crying a lot. I wasn't sure if she was getting enough, eating long enough and on and on. I'm sure it's normal and something everything that every new Mom experiences. It was so reassuring that Shaun was constantly by my side, watching over both of us at all times. He was a huge help as was my sister, Amanda, who stayed for a few days and cleaned our house, did the laundry and ran errands. She was amazing!
Week Two: By the end of week two I started to get a little stir crazy and needed to get out of the house. I'm too much of a people person to want to stay home all the time. So, somehow, in my bleary eyed state, I managed to get myself and the baby ready, ran one whole errand and went to see my friends at work. Looking back, I'm not sure how I made this happen as my brain wasn't altogether there. I remember at one point my co-worker asked me a very simple question and I just stared at her and no words would come out of my mouth. My brain was BLANK. Ha! I'm sure this is normal, but it kind of worried me. I heard you lose brain cells when you are expecting a baby and even more once they are born...but no one ever told me ALL your brain cells would vanish.
Weeks Three - Four: I started to find a groove and figure out this whole baby thing. Our sweet pea was doing great! Eating every 3 hrs. and only waking up once at night. I was shocked. I really expected one of those cries all night long, highly demanding, starving all the time, super eater babies. I am SO grateful that God was merciful and gave us an angel. He knew I would not be a good Mommy if I wasn't getting good sleep. At first I struggled with the baby taking up ALL my time. I mean, I made the time every day to get a shower, dress and put on make up - my Mom always did that and it's just what you do - but people were right when they said you won't be downstairs before noon each day. Mostly because you'll be sleeping till 10:00 each morning trying to catch up from the night before. Really though, it was all I could do to keep her fed and changed all day long.
Week Five - Six: We have our groove. I've FINALLY figured out what this baby needs/wants. She's a funny little thing. Very laid back and happy, but I was just doing one too many things wrong and by week five I finally started to figure out what they all were and how to fix them. Now, into week six, I'm amazed at the progress we have made, how much happier my already happy baby is, and all the things I can accomplish in two hours. Who knew! I guess you just learn how to be really fast at everything you do and cram as much as you can into the two hour napping time between feedings. (Ha! Every time I say "feedings" I picture tossing chow to animals at the zoo.) But seriously, I already see why Moms should wear super hero capes - we are amazing. Period. ;)~
Personal Growth Side: Shaun and I are learning to say "no" to things. Probably more so me than him at this point. Being a social butterfly has made staying home for the last seven weeks tough for me. I struggle between fitting this baby into my life and learning to be patient and know that those days of being on the go will come back at some point, but today is not that day and for the time being I need to slow down just a little. Maybe not stop being myself completely, but shift down from fifth gear into second. I guess you could sum it up by saying, I'm learning to die to self, a lot. I go back to work this weekend, so that is going to help me and my need for social time a lot. The best part is, Charlotte is coming with me! I'm sure it's going to bring a world of new adjustments and figuring things out, but I'm excited and ready!
Shaun and I are also starting to work on finding time for each other again. Those first few weeks are tough because every waking minute is demanding your attention to a little person who needs it...but now that we've found our groove with her, we're finding time for each other. Evenings have become a special time to hang out. More than ever before.
WEEK SIX VICTORY: She's slept through the night for the last three nights straight in a row! I am amazed! 6-8 hrs each night. I feel like I can conquer the world. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this phenomenon is a new habit and that we can cruise on into being a well rested family all the time.
Life is just really good and I wouldn't trade this whole Mom thing for the world. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Outside of Shaun, of course. So, here's to the amazing adventure we're on! Signing off till next time....
So, your friends and family who already have kids always tell you that having a baby will be the most amazing thing that ever happens to you and you won't really understand that kind of love until you're there. Well, they are right. All of them. These last six weeks have been the most incredible journey of my life, outside of marrying my best friend and being his wife. I tell Shaun all the time that I can't decide who I love more - him or Charlotte. I always follow it with a sly grin and some teasing, but when I really think about it, I love them both the same amount of deeply, yet in different and unexplainable ways.
Week One: What is this wonderfully, exhausting thing that has happened to us? That first week is a bit of a blur. I really think you just stumble your way through it hoping you don't break your baby or starve it. I just remember being really tired, trying to physically recover from the delivery, struggling to figure out feedings and crying a lot. I wasn't sure if she was getting enough, eating long enough and on and on. I'm sure it's normal and something everything that every new Mom experiences. It was so reassuring that Shaun was constantly by my side, watching over both of us at all times. He was a huge help as was my sister, Amanda, who stayed for a few days and cleaned our house, did the laundry and ran errands. She was amazing!
Week Two: By the end of week two I started to get a little stir crazy and needed to get out of the house. I'm too much of a people person to want to stay home all the time. So, somehow, in my bleary eyed state, I managed to get myself and the baby ready, ran one whole errand and went to see my friends at work. Looking back, I'm not sure how I made this happen as my brain wasn't altogether there. I remember at one point my co-worker asked me a very simple question and I just stared at her and no words would come out of my mouth. My brain was BLANK. Ha! I'm sure this is normal, but it kind of worried me. I heard you lose brain cells when you are expecting a baby and even more once they are born...but no one ever told me ALL your brain cells would vanish.
Weeks Three - Four: I started to find a groove and figure out this whole baby thing. Our sweet pea was doing great! Eating every 3 hrs. and only waking up once at night. I was shocked. I really expected one of those cries all night long, highly demanding, starving all the time, super eater babies. I am SO grateful that God was merciful and gave us an angel. He knew I would not be a good Mommy if I wasn't getting good sleep. At first I struggled with the baby taking up ALL my time. I mean, I made the time every day to get a shower, dress and put on make up - my Mom always did that and it's just what you do - but people were right when they said you won't be downstairs before noon each day. Mostly because you'll be sleeping till 10:00 each morning trying to catch up from the night before. Really though, it was all I could do to keep her fed and changed all day long.
Week Five - Six: We have our groove. I've FINALLY figured out what this baby needs/wants. She's a funny little thing. Very laid back and happy, but I was just doing one too many things wrong and by week five I finally started to figure out what they all were and how to fix them. Now, into week six, I'm amazed at the progress we have made, how much happier my already happy baby is, and all the things I can accomplish in two hours. Who knew! I guess you just learn how to be really fast at everything you do and cram as much as you can into the two hour napping time between feedings. (Ha! Every time I say "feedings" I picture tossing chow to animals at the zoo.) But seriously, I already see why Moms should wear super hero capes - we are amazing. Period. ;)~
Personal Growth Side: Shaun and I are learning to say "no" to things. Probably more so me than him at this point. Being a social butterfly has made staying home for the last seven weeks tough for me. I struggle between fitting this baby into my life and learning to be patient and know that those days of being on the go will come back at some point, but today is not that day and for the time being I need to slow down just a little. Maybe not stop being myself completely, but shift down from fifth gear into second. I guess you could sum it up by saying, I'm learning to die to self, a lot. I go back to work this weekend, so that is going to help me and my need for social time a lot. The best part is, Charlotte is coming with me! I'm sure it's going to bring a world of new adjustments and figuring things out, but I'm excited and ready!
Shaun and I are also starting to work on finding time for each other again. Those first few weeks are tough because every waking minute is demanding your attention to a little person who needs it...but now that we've found our groove with her, we're finding time for each other. Evenings have become a special time to hang out. More than ever before.
WEEK SIX VICTORY: She's slept through the night for the last three nights straight in a row! I am amazed! 6-8 hrs each night. I feel like I can conquer the world. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this phenomenon is a new habit and that we can cruise on into being a well rested family all the time.
Life is just really good and I wouldn't trade this whole Mom thing for the world. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Outside of Shaun, of course. So, here's to the amazing adventure we're on! Signing off till next time....
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