Maia is finally one. Who knew that the year would be both the longest and shortest one of my life. At moments it seemed like she would never hold her own head up, sit up or crawl, but all of a sudden she was walking! It's been a truly tough year but in retrospect here are the things I wish I could have told myself when she was first born:
1) No one has all the answers
2) Cry it out wont work and it feels bad- don't bother- just go with your gut
3) Family support is irreplaceable
4) When anyone offers to help in any way ignore your pride and say YES!
5) It's okay to be scared
6) You will be lonely and exhausted and you will have breakdowns
7) You are a good mother even if you have moments where you hate doing parts of it(i.e. diaper changes, night feedings, rocking/jostling/singing/swaying)
8) You will get through it even if you can't see a way through now
9) She will sleep, smile, sit up, crawl and walk in her own time
10) You will need every skill you have ever learned in school, work, and life to get you through the toughest job you have ever had which includes being on call for 24 hours and no lunch or bathroom breaks but you have ALL of the skills you need to do it!
We made it. Were all here and Maia is thriving.
A waitress at the restaurant we took her to lunch for her birthday called her "little sunshine"- its true she is full of joy and excitement, she is friendly and she loves people. She is beautiful (inside and out) and she is brave, strong and completely amazing. I am lucky, and for a moment I am going to honor my work and say- I worked very hard at that- creating an environment filled with love and support and encouraging her to be herself, not restricting her and appreciating her personality completely.
I am lucky, and I am a hard worker.
Happy Birthday Baby. You are the love of my life.
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