The "Just Wait" days

     Miss Charlotte and I are entering the latter half of month two together - yippee! It's been a lovely seven weeks, and she is slowly growing and changing right before my eyes. Her little cheeks and thighs are filling out, she can hold her head up a few seconds longer than last week, and she now returns my smiles - which is the absolute best feeling in the world :)

     Once upon a time I told myself I would never be a mommy blogger. I mean, what I could I possibly add to the plethora of mommy knowledge all over the web?? But having been a mommy for a few minutes now, I do want to chime in on a trend I've noticed since Charlotte arrived.

It's called the "Just Wait" mantra. 

     I cannot count on my hands and feet the number of times Pat and I have been told to "just wait". Let me explain: Some well-meaning individual, an acquaintance or co-worker perhaps, will start by asking how this new parent gig is going. Pat or I will answer honestly and say we've had ups and downs but it has been wonderful overall! We are then told to just wait:

"Oh, just wait 'til she's walking and getting into everything"

"Ha! Just wait 'til she's potty training"

"Oh, you just wait 'til she's 16 and asking to take the family car"

     Maybe it's an attempt to relate our circumstances to theirs, or maybe it's intended as a benign warning of things that may be to come. But generally I get the vibe that people want us to put one parenting foot in front of the other with extreme trepidation, staring at our daughter as though any minute she's going to become a monster child we cannot predict or control.

Now, I've only been doing this parenting thing for a minute, 

and I never like to say never, 

but I have sworn I will attempt to NEVER say this to a new mom. 

Why?

Because it robs the joy of the moment. 

It looks at that beautiful newborn in her arms and waves them away dismissively. 

Like some Grinch sent to steal her glowing present and replace it with unfounded doubt.

"You think life is rosy now, ha, JUST WAIT! It won't last, missy!" 

I've been told time and time again how fast these precious days will pass, 

so I've decided not to spend them "just waiting". 

I'm learning the trace of her hairline and counting the number of wrinkles on her little legs.

I'm fine tuning my ears to hear the differences between her coos and cries. 

I'm watching with anticipation to see what color her eyes will decide to be. 

And I'm squeezing every drip of joy from every mommy cuddle I get.

Because every moment is a gift, whether she is smiling while dreaming sweet baby dreams or crying her little eyes out because mommy can't get to nursing her fast enough (my little glutton, lol). 

This gig only lasts so long, 

and I refuse to let it pass us by while waiting apprehensively for the future. 

There is only this moment, and it is precious.

A month with Charlotte

Hello my blog!

     It has been quite awhile since I've written, as usual. But I felt like I just HAD to write today! You see, it's November 11th - A special day for various reasons, but for me it marks our baby's first month of life. Yes, it's been a whole month!! And as such, I felt it was high time that I tell you a little about our daughter, Charlotte Pearl.

Charlotte was born at 7:53pm on October 11th; 

she measured 20 inches long, weighing in at a perfect 7lbs, 7oz. 

     Those are the facts, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of her. I know now why everyone thinks their baby is beautiful. Maybe it's the fact that she was knit together inside me, but I had truly never seen anything so incredibly beautiful. She was so warm, so soft, so pink: the definition of new. She had this unbelievable shock of dark hair, just like I had when I was born. And she came out with eyes wide open - Patrick and I both laughed in surprise! She just stared and stared...I couldn't believe how alert and intent she was, taking in this new world she had been thrust into.

Day one, getting her first checkup!

     We spent the night after her birth sleeping the most peaceful sleep, her in the bassinet beside me. I've begun writing my birth experience in a separate blog, but long story very abbreviated, the task was done, our baby had arrived, and all was well. We were all physically exhausted, as well as mentally and emotionally spent. So I slept the deep sleep of a heart content and a body newly relieved of the weight it had born those past 9 months. In short, it was heaven.

     We arrived home to a whole new reality, both exciting and daunting. Parenthood. I can't even begin to sum up how much I've learned in the past month, even just about myself. I have been inducted into the ranks of all those moms before me. I now know about those long nights spent pacing the halls. I have spent what seems like hours just watching her sleep. I have lingered in those moments of stillness when she is nestled in my arms and nothing else seems to matter. It's just she and I. And it feels almost sacred.

     In one sense it has been an incredibly full, long month. And in another, it's been a mere blink of an eye. One month ago I was expecting, I was waiting, I was on the brink of this beautifully intimidating unknown. Thinking about all of the changes that took place that day and every day since is a bit dizzying. But really, she's been the most amazing gift. I can't wait to share more of her in days to come!