you know, it’s pretty amazing to me how incredibly fast the last 10, almost 11, months have gone by! and somehow, at the same time, newborn life feels so far away now. we’re getting so close to maddalena’s first birthday, and oh! my baby! she’s just growing right on up. i’ve been thinking so much lately about how quickly those newborn days come and go. gosh, you think you’re never gonna get up off the couch ever again because you’re nursing approximately 90% of the day, and there’s nothing, anyway, that is anywhere near as important as cuddling with your baby [it’s true, there’s not]. princess maddalena, she told me right off the bat that i wasn’t allowed to put her down ever, and i had no complaints about that, really… and then boom, one day they’re crawling around, playing with toys, searching the house for kittycats, and sneaking little hands into the dog bowl. and talking! oh, the conversations we have. they’re better than grownup conversations. yeah! way better.
there have sure been harder times, and there have been easier times… but things change in a heartbeat… nothing stays the same… and i wouldn’t trade a bit of this journey for anything. i can honestly say that i’ve had more fun being a mom than i ever could have imagined i would. there was actually a time not that long ago when i absolutely dreaded waking up to a lonely house every weekday when steven was off at work… and now when i wake up in the morning, i have the sweetest face looking at me! and i get one of those little pangs of excitement that i get to start a whole new day with the cutest and snuggliest girl i’ve ever known. and every day, that girl, she finds a new way to show off that personality of hers that i’ve known was there from the start… and every day we laugh together in a way that just feels so healthy!
and i know i’m probably way more “earth mama” than a lot of moms want for their lifestyle, but if there’s one thing i’ve learned it’s that everyone does it differently, and you just have to know that. oh yes, we co-sleep [i wasn’t allowed to put her down, remember? 😉 but i love our big bed family cuddles, and i’ve probably slept a lot better than most new moms!]. we delayed solid foods until she was about 8 months old [when it seemed like she was actually ready]. she’ll probably nurse til she’s 40 [hey, catch me on a freaky magazine cover one day!], and gosh, i’ve baby-worn that child like crazy. [baby-wearing is my fav, i mean, it’s like cuddling and doing other stuff at the same time!!] anyway, i didn’t set out to be any certain way as a mom, but i’m pretty independent, i do my research, and i follow my instincts above all else [i have the instincts of a jungle creature, ps]. as it turns out, i’ve really, really loved how we’ve done things so far with maddalena. she’s a sweet and precious little flower, and we just couldn’t be any more proud of the way she’s growing!
the funny thing is, i used to be the super impatient type, always rushing to get to the next place in life. junior year of high school? ugh, i was so ready to just graduate. junior year of college… welllll, i got married, ha! it’s not that i didn’t enjoy life where i was, i did! but there’s just always been some place to get to in life, a new level to achieve… but now that’s all so different for me. there’s nothing at all that i want to rush through these days, because i know once each day is gone, it’s gone for good. and each day that breaks my heart just a little bit, but i always look forward to the next!
ohh, and now, here we are in our final weeks of having a baby, one baby, because she’ll soon be a one year old, and she’ll soon be a toddler… and then, the next time we have a baby, that’ll mean we have two kids! well, hopefully. and we’ll love our new experiences, and life will go on happily ever after… but still, i am a chronic savorer and life-enjoyer and i just want to love this time with our one baby to pieces before it’s gone for good.
this mom thing, it is the best job ever. it’s not without its challenges, but then, what is? although, maddalena, she makes it pretty easy on me with her not-too-early wakeups, extreme amounts of cuteness, and fondness for sunshine, music and animals. hey, thanks, girl! gosh, i think i’ll keep ya ’round a while 😉
This is filled with so much happiness. I love reading about you and M – you guys just have the best girlfriends kinda vibe goin' on. I can feel the specialness radiating off your relationship all the way from across the country. M is so very, very lucky to have you.
<3
Such a sweet post. You two are adorable!
haha the instincts of a jungle creature. I like that! Hey, you two are the cutest 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experiences, pretty girl!
xo
Bed sharing isn't so much as a statement for me but a necessity! I don't know how mommies who don't do it sleep! Plus nursing while bed sharing is much easier once you and baby master the laying down position. Love reading you blog!
Your posts about motherhood make me look forward to it! You two are very cute! One day…
I love this post! I hope you are able to charish every moment with your little girly!! 🙂
Such a sweet post on your mummyhood. I used to "wear" my baby boy all the time too and we co-slept from his first day until now. And he's turning 5 soon! 🙂
This is the sweetest post. I'm sick with baby fever and cannot wait to experience the beauty and blessing of motherhood. You're an inspiration and that little girl is blessed to have you!
bria, exactly!! that's the only way to get sleep for me. it's just a bonus that i like the cuddles 😉 but totally not a statement, i don't even talk about it usually. it just kinda feels like the natural way to go about things for me.
I knew I liked this blog so much for a reason! I share these sentiments exactly about the bed sharing, nursing and baby led weaning 🙂 go mama go!
and i'm crying. partially because of my crazy 9 month pregnant hormones but mainly because this post is just so sweet. I love it all. I love your honesty and am so glad I have mamas like you to learn from. your sweet M is one lucky lady!