There has been lots of action in our household since last week. Baby has a crib and change table, and mommy has a rocker for those late night feedings. Many of my friends recommended purchasing one of these even though I wasn’t fully convinced. Hopefully in a few months I can write a blog about how much Baby loves being rocked to sleep at night.
Through my entire pregnancy I have avoided reading too much. I didn’t pick up What to Expect When Your Expecting, any of the Doctor Spock books or actually any other parenting books in general. Now if you know me, you know I’m inquisitive by nature so for me not to do this, it is a big deal. You might as why? Well I’ll tell you…my thought on the whole process is that I want to experience everything for the first time in the moment. I think being a mom for the first time over the age of 35 might be one reason for this. I could either drown myself in information from books, websites, online applications, other mothers, etc., or I could actually take the time to feel this blessing inside of me as it practices its Cross Fit. I swear this kid is either going to be a soccer player or a boxer and I love it!! All of the little moves, hiccups, etc., that you feel are amazing bonding opportunities that I might have otherwise missed/lost if I had been enthralled in reading about that moment.
Circling back to our preparations for Baby, so many people talk about the pregnancy, but not many people discuss what happens once you give birth. I had a friend offer to tell me the “dirty details” of giving birth if I wanted them. I gratefully thanked her for the offer but declined. Again, whether I know about it or not, it isn’t going to change what I have to go through, nor will my experience be exactly like hers. So knowing about it, in my mind, isn’t going to necessarily help me.
So many people have told hubby and me that our lives are going to change forever. I sit here and I ponder that. Yes I realize that things will change as now there is this little miracle that we’re responsible for. I realize that we may not necessarily be able to pick up at a moment’s notice and drive to Buffalo for a Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee—at least not until we can get Baby a passport. I realize that a random weekend getaway won’t be as easy since we now have to pack for the wee one and for little people I’ve already come to find out they need a lot of things! Clothes, receiving blankets, burp cloths, diapers, wipes, bibs, creams and lotions for their sensitive skin, and all the things that I don’t even know that I’ll need. I realize that we’ll be sleep deprived and probably irritable in the beginning as the wee one won’t be able to communicate with us.
But as I ponder I’m also thinking about watching this little one sleeping in its crib for the first time and watching as they smile up at us. I’m thinking about when they start to crawl and eventually walk. I’m thinking about first words and when they start to cheer for their (or mommy’s) favourite sports team..sorry dear! I’m thinking about the lifetime of memories that we’re about to embark on and how that will start yet another chapter of our lives.