Yesterday, our precious girl turned three months old. Sometimes I can't even believe how much our lives have changed in just a few short months...Ellie has definitely challenged us and taught us a lot about ourselves - not just as new parents, but as people. Here are a few of those lessons:
1. Worrying is worthless...usually. Yes, there are things we were correct to worry about (the reflux symptoms, calling the doc when she was constipated) but most things (the spitting up, various rashes, etc) aren't worth the worries. And when our baby is healthy and happy, worrying is a waste of time. That doesn't mean we won't worry, but we're getting better about it - especially me.
2. Baby comes first. This is a 'DUH' lesson, but a valuable one just the same. For the first five years of our marriage, it was about me and the husband. Sure, we have our dogs, but really, it was about US - me and him, him and me. Then Ellie came along and everything revolves around her. We have to remember to take time for ourselves, but its hard when we want to make sure we're taking care of her needs to the best of our ability. I know there is not an actual "New Parents of the Year" award, but I parent like there is - and I desperately want to win.
3. Poop - and puke, and pee - happens. Getting over my squickiness about bodily fluids happened about the time my water broke and I get better about it every day. I've got poop on my hands? Meh, I wash it off. My shirt and neck and hair get sprayed with spit up? I wipe it off with the burp rag and make a mental note to try and rinse off later. Pee all over the changing table? Diaper the babe, lay her in the crib, and clean up the mess. Dealing with the three Ps is just part of parenthood, so no sense it letting it gross you out.
4. There's love and then there's LOVE. I had heard moms wax poetic about how you don't know what love really is until you hold your child for the first time...and I thought, blech. How grossly sentimental and gushy. But, it's true. I love my family, I love my husband, but I have never loved anyone as much as I love my daughter. She's frustrating, and challenging, and anxiety-inducing (at times) but even more, she's delightful and sweet and bright and lovely...and I love her more every day.
I'm so excited for the next three months - although I know they will fly by just as quickly as the past three have - and what Ellie has in store for us as she grows and matures. Being a mom is pretty cool...especially being HER mom.
1. Worrying is worthless...usually. Yes, there are things we were correct to worry about (the reflux symptoms, calling the doc when she was constipated) but most things (the spitting up, various rashes, etc) aren't worth the worries. And when our baby is healthy and happy, worrying is a waste of time. That doesn't mean we won't worry, but we're getting better about it - especially me.
2. Baby comes first. This is a 'DUH' lesson, but a valuable one just the same. For the first five years of our marriage, it was about me and the husband. Sure, we have our dogs, but really, it was about US - me and him, him and me. Then Ellie came along and everything revolves around her. We have to remember to take time for ourselves, but its hard when we want to make sure we're taking care of her needs to the best of our ability. I know there is not an actual "New Parents of the Year" award, but I parent like there is - and I desperately want to win.
3. Poop - and puke, and pee - happens. Getting over my squickiness about bodily fluids happened about the time my water broke and I get better about it every day. I've got poop on my hands? Meh, I wash it off. My shirt and neck and hair get sprayed with spit up? I wipe it off with the burp rag and make a mental note to try and rinse off later. Pee all over the changing table? Diaper the babe, lay her in the crib, and clean up the mess. Dealing with the three Ps is just part of parenthood, so no sense it letting it gross you out.
4. There's love and then there's LOVE. I had heard moms wax poetic about how you don't know what love really is until you hold your child for the first time...and I thought, blech. How grossly sentimental and gushy. But, it's true. I love my family, I love my husband, but I have never loved anyone as much as I love my daughter. She's frustrating, and challenging, and anxiety-inducing (at times) but even more, she's delightful and sweet and bright and lovely...and I love her more every day.
I'm so excited for the next three months - although I know they will fly by just as quickly as the past three have - and what Ellie has in store for us as she grows and matures. Being a mom is pretty cool...especially being HER mom.
EDIT: Here's the little miss at her three-month photo shoot. Precious.
1 comment:
All of them are so very true almost 4 years into this Motherhood gig. Enjoy the next three months.
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