Anyway, today I wanted to write about the joys of having a little child. The joys of being a mom. Because it is a joy.
Today I was thinking about what a special time I am experiencing in my life right now. My first baby is 3 months old. I am not too overwhelmed or busy, but I have enough going on to keep me on my toes and full of purpose. I have lots of quiet mornings and afternoons filled with so many little things. Reading stories, singing songs, playing, doing laundry, cleaning the kitchen, feeding my baby...these are the types of things that fill my days. I also work at an after school program where I can help children in tough situations, and I am so grateful for that opportunity.
Today I couldn't help but feel so grateful as I put my sleepy, happy baby down for a nap and started working on some chores. As I checked on her I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. She has these chubby, rosy cheeks that I just love. And her long little eyelashes are just so pretty! And I thought about how grateful I am for such a happy, healthy baby while I started washing the dishes.
Ok, so now some of you may be feeling like. "Is this girl for real? What kind of fantasy world is she living in?" This is no fantasy, or the declarations of a naive little girl. This is really how I feel.
I know that this time in my life is such a small dot on a big timeline. I won't always have these quiet afternoons full of cuddles with a sweet little baby! This is a once in a lifetime experience! Eventually, I will have more to juggle, more worries, more complications. And when that happens, I will embrace the challenges and try my best, but for now, I am just so grateful for what I have.
My life isn't super extraordinary or perfect. We are butt poor (yes butt poor is what I said), and I have unrealized dreams of travel and hobbies that I don't know when I will have the time or money for. I also feel like I will never catch up on chores (good thing I enjoy cleaning) and my social life...lets just say loneliness is a feeling I am familiar with.
But this time of my life is a treasure to me. Little babies are precious little packages of love. It's true! As I held my little girl tonight right before bedtime, she gave me the cutest little smile and squeal and I knew she knows what love is and how to feel it. And she knows I love her. And I thought about how what I do right now is setting up the way she thinks; the attitude she has about life. What an incredible amount of purpose and importance a mother has!
The challenges you may face as a new mom are mostly temporary, and so are the joys. So soak in every minute as much as you can. Whatever your situation may be as a mom, you are incredibly important to your baby. You are the center of their world. You make all the difference in your baby's life! Enjoy it! Be grateful for such a wonderful opportunity. It is truly a unique treasure. Any sacrifices you make for this treasure are worth it, because you are the star in the life of a new human being! Nothing is more divine, more full of purpose than parenthood.
I've been listening to a lot of great podcasts lately, and in one interview a woman was talking about what drove her to open a hostel for travelers in Canada. She said her heart just wasn't "bursting" an she knew she needed to start something new in her life. I love that idea of knowing that you are living at your best when you feel your heart bursting. Motherhood makes my heart burst!
I know I can steadily and diligently work towards my goals of travel and all of the other things I want to accomplish. But for now, I will focus on loving my baby and enjoying this moment in time, because she is the star of my show, this time is my treasure, and my heart is bursting!
