Reflections from a new mom

It's often said, but the transition into motherhood has been both one of the best and most challenging times in my life. Since the arrival of Sarah, I cannot imagine life without her. The blessings and overwhelming love I feel for her are so real.

In the seven short weeks that I have been a mom, I have learned so much more than I thought I would. I knew having Sarah would be a life-changer, but I didn't realize what all that would entail. Now that I have been through a small piece of the parenting puzzle, I can reflect back on a few things I have learned.

1) Babies are forgiving. A good friend told me this while I was pregnant and Eli has reminded me a few times since. It's something I need to hear when I think I'm not doing this parenting thing right. Sarah still loves me even when I don't realize her diaper has been wet for a while. Even when I get overwhelmed and let her cry for a little bit while I take a deep breath. Even when I accidentally clip her finger nails too short.

2) Saturdays are not for sleeping in. When baby's up, everyone is up.

3) You can't do parenting by the book. Sure you can listen to advice from every other mom, grandmother, blog, and parenting book, but in the end my baby is not their baby. No one knows her better than her Daddy and I.We may not know all the answers, but we do our best every day to learn what is best for her.

4) There isn't just one way to do things. Daddy has his own way of swaddling, diapering, burping, etc. and it's okay.

5) It's okay to cry. We are not made to feel 13 emotions at one time. And sometimes crying it out helps, even for Momma.

6) The Baby Bjorn is a wonderful invention. We've been able to grocery shop, clean house, get schoolwork done, and maintain a little more sanity because of our carrier. Eli even wore it to play XBox with his brother. Hey you gotta do what works!

 7) All schedules are tentative. As much as I've tried to get Sarah on a schedule, she is the ultimate decider of how our day goes. She really is a great baby, but we have had to work around her idea of a schedule. Just face it, you'll always be late. (Or is it just me?...)

8) Everything else can wait. I don't want to look back on this time and regret filling it with work when I could have been spending every possible minute with my baby. It really is okay to let things go. Our house is still clean, we still eat, and we still wear clean clothes.

9) Take lots of pictures. Of everything. All the time. You can normally find me with my camera close by, but now that I have a really cute baby (and a new iPhone!), hardly a day has gone by without at least a few pictures! I'll never get these days again and I want to be able to remember every detail.

10) Trust your instincts. It's strange to have a feeling and just know. But you are the mom, and you really do know best...not because you're the boss or all-knowing, but because you know your baby, better than even you realize. It's not a cliche...you just do!

11) A smile makes up for all those lost hours of sleep. It doesn't matter how much she cries, how late she wants to stay up, or what crazy hour she thinks is time to wake up. The second Sarah gives me one of those big gummy grins, my heart melts and sleep doesn't matter that much anymore. My daughter loves me. That is enough. 

12) Feet are your new hands. They are excellent at picking up burp clothes, pacifiers and rocking your baby to sleep. 

13) Mom friends rock. I would be totally lost at this point if it weren't for some great friends who are either going through the same stages or have small children. These are the ones who you can text at 2 a.m. with questions (because she's probably up feeding too). No question is too awkward or dumb. Mom friends won't judge. They are just awesome. 

14) Going back to work is hard. There is no way to sugar coat it. It really hurts. I went back last Tuesday and dreaded every minute of it. I am thankful that I have a job and I can provide for my family, but just when it seemed like I was getting (somewhat) used to being a new mom, I had to leave my baby with the sitter for a whole day. Every time I cry and dread going to work, I just have to remind myself that my family needs me. I can't be selfish. And this is what motherhood is all about.

15) I have a new appreciation for my own mom. I look at my mom in a whole new light. I now know a little of what she has gone through and endured for our family. I also know that I can count on her to be there for me when I go through every new stage because she gets it. And it makes me love her even more. 

16) It takes a village. We have been so blessed to have wonderful family and friends to support us. In the past six weeks, our friends and family have loved us by bringing meals (on many occasions), washing laundry and dishes, cleaning the house, helping us maintain some sort of sanity, and praying for us. We could not be more grateful for their love and encouragement.

17) There will always be something to worry pray about. We are continually learning how to be the best parents for Sarah. A lot of the time, this involves giving it to God. I take that back - ALL the time. Instead of worrying about things, we need to take them to the Lord who loves us so much. Being a parent won't always be easy, but who other to turn to than the greatest Father ever?


We have been entrusted with taking care of Sarah and raising her in a godly home.We will never know all the answers. We will often stumble and make mistakes. And we will always learn how to improve. I am in awe at how God created Sarah so perfectly for us. Becoming a mom has awakened a deeper and richer love in me that I didn't know was possible. I do know, though, that this love will only grow deeper when we trust God to carry us through. I am so very grateful for the opportunity to take part in God's plan for our family. I am excited to see how it unfolds!

Lovebug, your Daddy and I are learning so much about how to be your parents. Thank you for being patient and gracious with us as we try to figure this out. We love you more every day and can't wait to watch you grow. You are so loved. 

Always, Momma

Sarah { one month }

I can't believe one month has already gone by with our little girl (one month and one week, actually). In the past month Sarah has changed and grown so much and we have fallen more in love with her everyday.

When Sarah was born, she weighed 7 lbs 15 oz. When we left the hospital, she weighed 7 lbs 4 oz. Now? She is a happy, chunky 10 pounds 6 ounces! It blows my mind how much she has grown in just 5 weeks. And to be honest,  I think she's going through another growth spurt now. We've got a little weed on our hands!

Sarah eats great. Most of the time. We've had a few set backs along the way but we've made it through so far. I am nursing throughout the day and Eli feeds her a bottle at night before bed. He really enjoys this time with her and it helps her to calm down and sleep better. We've been trying to read her cues to tell us she's hungry. We think we do a pretty good job, but sometimes we miss the cues and she LETS US KNOW she is hungry! I really do think she's going through a growth spurt because she is hungry more often and takes more milk at night in her bottle. But I'm not complaining about our growing girl!

She is still mostly in newborn size clothes, with some 0-3 month onesies mixed in. However, she'll be out of her newborn clothes before too long - I actually had to take a zip-up sleeper outfit off of her today because the pants turned into capris and it was tight to snap between her legs. It's a shame too, because that was a really cute outfit!

Right now, our routine is mostly baby-led,but she's fairly consistent. She cycles between eating, playing, and sleeping. After she eats, she will usually stay awake for a good 45 minutes to an hour. This time is getting to be quite fun! She likes to look around, recline in her bouncy seat, be carried in our Baby Bjorn carrier, and make lots of really cute faces! When she is alert and content, she loves to look around at faces, lights, and our ceiling fans. Anything that moves really catches her eye. It's fun to watch her take in her surroundings. I just wish she could tell us what she thinks about it all.

She has been smiling for several weeks now, and I think she's finally smiling on purpose (not just as a reaction to gas!). She also loves to stick her tongue out, which is one of the cutest things ever! We love when she interacts with us and responds to our silly faces and noises with her own. I cannot wait for her to start laughing and giggling! I'm sure it will happen very soon!

Sarah is a wonderful sleeper! During the day, she takes shorter naps, usually around an hour long. Sometimes if she has had more stimulation, she will sleep longer, but she seems to be a big fan of those short naps. We've been working to find a good schedule for nighttime. She was going down around 11 pm and getting up between 8 and 9 am, with one feeding around 4 am. We are trying to get her to sleep earlier in the evening so when I go back to work, she'll be ready to get up earlier in the morning. Last night she actually slept from 11 pm to 6 am without waking up! I'm hoping that she will continue to sleep longer stretches at night. It was so wonderful getting a full 7 hours of sleep!

Sarah is generally a very content baby. But like a nurse in the hospital told us, "when this baby gets mad, she's gonna get MAD!" She definitely lets us know when something is bothering her, like a wet diaper, when she's hungry, or when she is sleepy. And apparently, when she is done with her photo shoot!

We are so thankful for such a wonderful baby girl. We could not imagine her being any different or any more perfect for our little family. We know God has blessed us and is continually teaching us how to love deeper and depend on Him. I am excited to watch Sarah learn, explore, and grow into the beautiful person God created her to be.

Not everything is the same each day or each week. I go back to work this Tuesday and she starts with a babysitter three days a week, so things will change again. I will admit that I’m excited to get more routine back in my life, because I only shower every other day right now and going to the grocery store is an adventure away from my typical days on the couch.

I've said it before and I'll continue to say it - aside from salvation and marrying Eli, Sarah is the best gift that we have received. Our hearts continue to grow with love for her every day and we pray that we can learn to be the best parents for her.

Sweet Sarah,

I'm so glad you became a part of our little family just over a month ago. Thank you for making me into a mommy and for blessing me with your sweet spirit every day. We keep praying for you to grow strong and healthy, physically, mentally and spiritually. We pray that we can show you the love of God each and every day. Stay sweet, baby girl. We love you more than you know.

Always, Momma