Talk about time flying...
I just logged on and couldn't even remember my username and password. After thinking long and hard, I got it! I had no idea it had been nearly a year since my last post. What kind of blogger am I? Oh, right, a mommy blogger!!! Apparently, this mommy-job thing doesn't leave much time for writing. Well, there's time here and there, but who wants to listen to themselves vent in their hour/hour and a half naptime freedom? Guess I don't! I'm going to see if this blogging thing is like riding a bike. Sorry, if this is a bumpy ride. Might take me some time to find my brain again. Remember, I spend my days talking to an 18 month old. Forgive me in advance:)
So, let's see, a lot has changed in a year. I'm not a newmie anymore. I'm a promie (a pro mommy:). Crazy, right? There's a whole slew of newmies in my life now so I figured I would update this little side job to give those fresh newmies something to read while their little one sleeps (hopefully that's what the babies are doing and you kinda should be too so read quickly!).
A year ago I had a little 6 and a half month old baby who took two naps a day and was working on sitting up on her own. We were just trying to survive the beginning of winter in Columbus. Leaving the house once was a big adventure and I was finally starting to make some mommy friends. So much has changed for both Sadie and me in the last 12 months. Quick synopsis for Sadie would be...ate real food, learned to army crawl, got some teeth, moved to Philly without skipping a beat, got some more teeth, mastered real crawling, started talking (yes, she did this at around 9 months by saying "Hi" to everyone), turned one, got some crazy big teeth, learned to walk, simultaneously rejected the bottle and her second nap, and ultimately somewhere around there turned into a toddler.
I pretty much define my last year by all of those things too, but my adult version would be...started to enjoy having my body back, lost some sleep from teeth coming in, moved to Philly twice (Yes, two apartments in one week. Not quite as seamless for Mommy and Daddy), lost a little more sleep here and there from those big ass teeth in the back, chased after my new crawler, used Sadie as my agent to meet tons of Philly mommies, shed some more pounds from now chasing a walker, adjusted to life with one not- long- enough-nap during the day, explained to many people that yes, my 11 month old baby just said "Hi" and "Bye Bye" and yes, she is a little young to be talking and finally gained a friend out of a little girl who is no longer my little baby. Where does the time go?
As I am reliving those early stages from the newmies in my life, I really can't even believe what we have accomplished in a quick 18 months. The days of breastfeeding and swaddling seem so far behind me. I feel empowered now that I have come this far as a mom and graduated into promie-hood. As you move into this phase of parenting you really start to forget what it was like in the beginning.
Recently, a newmie friend of mine asked me a question that got me thinking. She said, "Katie, will my life ever be easy again?" I had to think for a second. Hmmm...easy? I made sure to answer in a way that wouldn't completely freak her out. I said, "Your life will definitely get easier, but it will NEVER be easy again." Who wants to live an easy life anyway? Although I'm really only in the second phase of childhood (having a toddler), I can say that nothing has been easy. In the beginning it's definitely the most challenging because you're sleep deprived and you have no idea what you're doing. As they grow into toddlerhood, you know what you're doing so that's easier, but it is physically so much more challenging or should I say exhausting. People don't say this is the hardest job in the world for no reason.
I think the whole motherhood experience has felt a lot like the labor part. It's probably the hardest thing I have ever done, but looking back you only remember the good parts. Whether we are sleep deprived, have stretch marks in places we never thought was possible or smell a little from skipping a daily shower, the bottom line is we love our kids and most of us probably want more. Why? No idea. Maybe we want that not-so-easy life or maybe it's because those little people are just so damn cute we want to be surrounded by a few of them for the rest of our lives.
So, I know all of those Jewish grandmothers sneaking a read on this are probably thinking now is the time for me to get working on baby #2. I know I've gotten personal on this blog by talking about my post-breastfeeding pancake boobies, but I'm not gonna go there on my 10 year baby plan. All I can say is no matter what kind of promie I have become doing it all over again sounds daunting. But don't worry Mom and Mom-in-law you will have more grandchildren in your future. For now, naptime is over. Back on the clock!
