One year ago I made a big announcement… and now baby Amelia has been out in the real world for almost six months!
Half a year?! It’s hard to believe. Allow me to get a bit sappy for a moment.
When I was pregnant, I worried a lot about adjusting to life on the other side, but somehow I was still surprised by the equal amounts of wonder and anguish involved in the first few days and weeks and months of caring for a new life. The newborn days feel far away now, and sometimes it’s tempting to remember those sleepy hours too nostalgically, because let’s be honest: those first few months are tough! I had a really hard time adjusting to the lack of sleep, recovery from a c-section was no walk in the park, and my hormones really did a number on my mood swings and feelings of well-being. The transition from go-go-go and working full-time to barely getting a shower each day was really rough on my self-esteem and I didn’t feel like my own self a lot of the time. I loved my little baby, but she needed so much and it was hard to tell if I was doing a good job or not.
Looking back, I wish I could tell myself this:
It gets better! Amelia loves you so much, and soon you’ll be able to see just how much she adores everything you do for her. Don’t worry about getting anything done; seriously, don’t spend another minute worrying about it. Put down the phone when you’re tired, but don’t feel bad for needing it as an outlet to escape for a bit. You just did a huge thing; it’s ok to rest on your laurels. And don’t worry about sleeping and eating habits; she’ll figure it out, whether you spend hours googling it or not!
I feel like I’ve got a hang of this motherhood thing, and it’s such a joy to see Amelia becoming more and more active and inquisitive as each day goes by. It’s truly a joy to be her mother. As much as I hate to admit it, all the cliches are true: I can barely remember life before baby. Time passes by too quickly. I never knew I could love someone so much. The days are long but the years are short. Babies don’t keep.
Ok, the sap is over!
Here’s some Throwback Thursday action for you from one year ago, April 2016:
We’re flipping out… baby girl coming in October 2016 🙂
Photography courtesy of my awesome brother… and soon to be Uncle! I can’t resist sharing a pic of the grandparents too 🙂
And because I love outtakes…
My brother was sweet enough to take the pics while we were all at the beach a couple weeks ago. We didn’t know the gender at the time, so we brought two little pairs of flip flops. Then we only needed to choose from half of the final photos 🙂
Here’s a little behind the scenes action of the pro (and his many “helpers”) at work!
Thanks again, bro!
The Amateur Librarian 