Parenting Through the Eyes of a New Mom
Sleep for as long as you can now because sleeping for a full night will soon be history. You say you want to raise your baby without any help, but you’ll be eager to catch a break sooner than you think. Life will never be the same. You’re going to miss your life before kids and days without any worry. You won’t have time for anything else but the baby. You’re going to lust after some quiet time.
I heard these things so often before giving birth that I can’t remember being told anything else. No one tells you the good stuff, and I wonder why. Is it because we as humans tend to focus on the bad rather than the good? Or maybe because seeing others go through a difficult time gives us a sense of relief? Like we’re not alone, we’re not the only ones facing hardships.
Why aren’t we more supportive and encouraging of one another? Mothers should lift each other, so why aren’t we talking about the beautiful, heart-filling side of parenting more? Listening to what friends and family had to say made me doubt what I might feel once our baby arrived. But reality surprised me in the best way possible.
No one told me that from the moment I saw your face for the first time, I would spend the rest of my life hopelessly in love with you, missing you, even when I’m right by your side. I miss you when you go to sleep, and I miss you when I go to sleep. I can’t wait for the moment our eyes meet every morning, and you give me the sweetest smile. I can’t get enough of your baby scent, milk-covered face, and tiny fingers and toes.
I love gazing at your baby hair, at your delicate baby feet and hands, perfect little nose, blue eyes, and beautiful face, and I could sit and look at you for hours. I love watching you sleep. I melt when I see you stretch right before waking up and get excited every time you open your eyes, and we get to sing and giggle together until the next nap. I love feeding you and feeling you close to me. I love our playtime and bath time together.
I love watching you discover the world and seeing it through your eyes. I love that sadness is a fleeting feeling and not indeed sadness yet, and that your smile and joy upon waking up reveal such pure love for life. I love your personality and recognizing little bits of your dad and me in you, but also learning how uniquely “you,” you are. I love listening to your gurgles and coos and seeing your curious look. It’s like you’re always in awe of the world around you.
I love seeing you grow and change every day. I’m excited to see the person you’re going to become and discover your personality. Still, I try to live in the moment and take everything in. I know today you’re the youngest and tiniest you’re ever going to be. I know that your growth and development are skyrocketing at this age, so I try my best to be fully present every step of the way.
I look back on people’s talk and the thoughts I used to have before meeting you and smile. Will I love you a lot? Will I get angry or lose patience when you cry or during fussy times and colic? I smile because I realize I was so naive to have believed all these things. Sure, we no longer get to sleep in on weekends. We got to experience a whole new level of tired. Life is no longer the same. It’s better and fuller than ever. I’m in love with you and our life in three. Every day I tell myself I can’t possibly love you more than I do, yet I always surprise myself the day after.
So, mamas out there waiting to meet your babies, just wait! Wait to see how undoubtedly perfect your little human will look through your eyes and how much you’re going to love them. Maybe not at first, perhaps not at full intensity right ahead, but you will love them. And that love will be like no other. Life itself will have changed forever in the best way.
This post was originally posted on my blog.
