That is SO NOT ME.
Honestly I thought the first few months pretty much sucked. When I look back I think of them as a sort of hazing/training period to make sure you have what it takes to enjoy the good stuff which is coming.
Don't get me wrong the feelings of love and bonding that happened in those first months were incredible. But were my days fun, often enjoyable, incredibly fulfilling? Not really.
Now on the other hand, every day literally flies by... even the hard ones. I'm constantly in awe watching Theodor interact with the world around him. He is a little scientist, intensely investigating everything around him. He is so joyous! He laughs constantly at so many things- yesterday just standing holding onto a chair with me sitting besides him was enjoyable enough for him to laugh loudly for 10 minutes.
Even the new challenges are fun in their way, or at least cute to watch if I don't think about the clean up afterward. Like his recent refusal to be spoon fed and wanting to do it himself. All I can think is that my little baby is growing up and how cool is that? He is able to show me his likes by shoving a banana in his mouth, and dislikes by for example grabbing a spoon out of my hand and flinging it on the ground.
He can play by himself and I can actually get things done around the house. He can "help" me. Which may in all actuality be creating more work but looking at his proud little face when he achieves something new or his sneaky little smiles when he does something he knows he shouldn't more then make up for a few more minutes of clean up time at the end of the day.
Teddy "helping" in the kitchen.
These are the moments which make me thrilled and excited to one day try to have another, and which make me love being able to stay at home with Theodor. This is what I was looking forward to when I was waiting for my husband to feel ready to try to have a child. These recent months are what makes it easy for me to say, I love being a mother.
Thank you so much for this post! You know how things are going over here, so it's nice to read that a) someone feels the same way about the newborn stage and b) it can and will get better! I'm so glad you're enjoying things so much more these days after a rough start.
ReplyDeleteAww Ash, this is such a sweet post. Theodor is growing and changing so much--he is such a cutie, I'm not surprised you are loving him (and this stage) more and more.
ReplyDeleteI think how much people enjoy the newborn stage has a lot to do with the temperament of your baby. I don't think anyone would enjoy spending every day and night with a screaming baby who they could not put down and who wouldn't sleep for more than 45 mins at a time for like THREE MONTHS. I always think of how those early days were for you and just shake my head in disbelief at how hard it must have been.
And yet you were always so composed about it all and made it look relatively easy and you stayed so upbeat, I was always so impressed with you.
I can honestly say that I am loving being a mother but James could not be more different than early-Theodor. He started out sleeping 4 hour stretches at night which quickly became 7 hour stretches, and he never cries unless he is wet, hungry, or tired. I count my blessings every day about what an easy baby he is. But if he was a colicky baby there is NO WAY I would be enjoying this time!
Anyway, nice to hear that it only gets better and better!
I couldn't agree with you more. =) Eirik is SO much fun now... he "helps" me with things and laughs and watching him play with something as simple as a tupperware container is amazing to me! I LOVE this phase!!
ReplyDeleteI do miss the newborn phase sometimes... when I look at photos of peoples newborn babies and it reminds me of how much I miss Eirik sleeping curled up on me and napping.
He's getting so big!
ReplyDeleteI am one of those people that LOVES and misses the newborn stage, but I am crazy like that because I just LOVE that new baby smell and "tiny-ness" of them. But you're right that it's nice to have a baby that can sleep in, help out, entertain themselves, etc. :)
Glad you are really enjoying Mommy-hood. It's a challenge but rewarding.
Alyssa: Yep it gets better, and I know it will for you too!
ReplyDeleteAdrienne: Yeah I guess I would feel differently if Teddy hadn't been colicky. I'm always shocked when I visit my SIL and her newborn is sleeping for hours at a time in a bassinet in a different room. I can't even imagine how differently our days would have gone.
Iris: I also like to look back on pictures of Theo napping on me, but the fact that that is how every nap had to go doesn't make me wish for it back.
Rania: They are so sweet when they are so small, who knows maybe I will feel differently with the next one? I am excited to see what it is like to hopefully have a baby without colic!
These are the moments I'm looking forward to when the hubby and I have our first. I can't wait to be a mom, but I must admit that sometimes infants scare the pants off me. I feel better knowing that even though the newborn/infant stage might be tough, the older stages have so much to offer. Even now, I find myself thinking about how much fun it will be to have a toddler (or two) running around. Of course, I'm sure that's mostly because my niece (about two and half) is ridiculouly fun -- if it wasn't for Skype, I'd have missed this stage!
ReplyDeleteRemember each child is different. I had a ruff newborn stage with my first. He had colic and cried for 3 months straight. My second is totally different. He was so much more enjoyable in the first 3 months. I call him my happy baby.
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