blessed

Family P: Am I doing this right?

I must admit – I feel like I’m finally starting to get a hang of this whole MOM thing. Olivia has her first cough/cold this past week – going on 6 days of the snottiest and crankiest little Liv… No fever. Just snot. and LOTS of it. Standing in the hall bathroom (it’s much smaller than ours) with a steamy shower running and a tearful baby wrapped tightly to my chest – it hit me  – You’ve Arrived, Welcome to motherhood! Just as I started to feel completely hopeless, unable to do anything to soothe my miserable baby girl- she laid her head down on my chest, whimpered then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Most rewarding are the moments when you just feel like, “I’m doing it right!” 

In the past 7 months I have become increasingly thankful for such an amazing support group of friends and family. They (Y’all – because lets just face it… y’all are likely the only ones following this blog) are my constant assurance that I am actually “doing it right;” that I am a good mother.  I want each of you to know how appreciated your words, advice, time, prayers, etc. are. Your support means so much to Daniel + I. We truly believe that it takes a village to raise a baby – Family and Friends alike – We feel incredibly blessed to have you and consider YOU part of our village. 

We are among the first in our circle(s) of friends to have a baby(ies). As much as we’ve made an effort to not let “having a baby” change who we are and what we love to do; there are some lifestyle changes that are inevitable. For the most part, our young married and single friends have been wonderfully accepting, understanding and accommodating as we navigate through this change. I’m reminded of this every time Olivia spits up on a girlfriend’s silk blouse and she pretends like it’s REALLY no big deal… or it’s overlooked when show up 15 min late but still have to leave promptly to catch bedtime… or when we bring a big embarrassing animal-print high chair cover in to a trendy upscale restaurant. I’m constantly juggling feelings of eagerness to have some of y’all join the club with understanding when dinner + drinks invitations taper and  still contentment with exactly the life we’d imagined (It’s unreal how insanely happy we are). Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to our amazing friends, who have not abandoned us because we had a baby, and became SIGNIFICANTLY more dorky than we were before.

Would also love to mention how grateful I am to have some good new-Momma friends, nearby and far away alike. I love knowing that y’all are out there for 2 am text messages or emails about diaper rash, spit-up and sweet potato puree. Ready and willing to answer the questions I’m too embarrassed to call my pediatrician about. It’s amazing how something a baby in common can bond you to someone instantly… Hope y’all feel the same.

Much Love,

Momma Meg

PS. I guess I get kind of sappy when Daniel is out of town. 

Reflection: Be Still

A few nights ago, after nursing my sweet Olivia, I let her snuggle up and drift off in my arms. (I usually try to put her down semi-awake, but sleepy – trying my hand at some “sleep training.”) Something about that day… we didn’t do anything special, just normal life. And then it dawned on me…THIS was a new normal and it had changed so much. It was just a little over a year ago that we shared the news of our pregnancy with our families. It’s so incredibly unbelievable how much has changed in our normal day-in, day-out lives. The thought is simply overwhelming to me. I’m reminded of how important it is to slow down and savor these moments because in the blink of an eye another year will have past.

In this new season of life, I’m finding it no easier to RELAX. I remember thinking that becoming a full-time, stay-at-home momma would alleviate so much of the stress I was accustomed to in the working world. Turns out, there are no fewer stressors in this “job.” I’m wired like my mother. I thrive on productivity, stress, and planning. Despite being an engrained part of my temperament, I recognize that I need to slow down, be still, and know that everything will be OK.  That I have a great designer. A more perfect planner than even me. “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

I am unspeakably thankful, eternally grateful. Incredibly Blessed.