confessions of a first-time mom

A year ago today we were just being admitted to the hospital. . .I'd been in labor for about 5 hours already, and we still wouldn't meet Cole until tomorrow afternoon! You'd better believe I'm going to relay that story to him every time he does something I don't like. . .



In thinking about Cole's first birthday and how the time has flown by. . .here are some quick thoughts on our last year. . .



- I wished I had believed all of you that told me to sleep before the baby came. . .you weren't kidding. I'm on my 364th day of not getting a full night's sleep.



- It's amazing how quickly you adjust to having any gooey, slimy, stinky, sticky bodily substance rubbed on your face. Just wipe with your sleeve and continue.



- I've never needed more help than in the last year. . .and so many people have never been so genuine and sincere in offering it.



- A baby makes you really put things into perspective. . .what was so important yesterday isn't even on the radar today.



- I've never felt more love for my husband then when I can sneak a peek at he and Cole playing when they don't know I'm watching.



- The intensity of feelings we have when it comes to Cole. . .worry when he was sick, awestruck while watching him fall asleep in my arms, pride when he crawled across the room and looked back at me to make sure I watched, anger when something or someone hurt him (even if it was the coffee table he bumped into!), and that flood of feelings the first time he said "mama" (although he was pretty angry with me at the time, and I'm sure he was yelling "mama" at me).



- I have no problem carrying on a one-sided conversation with Cole anywhere. . .grocery store. . .doctor's office. . .church (yes, we went back there). . .and have no problem with the looks other people give me.



- I can repeat every word to Cole's favorite book (a panda cake, a panda cake, mama is making a panda cake), sing the ABCs, This Old Man, Little Piggy, There Was An Old Woman, and a few other tunes about 900 times a day. . . .but I sometimes forget my ATM pin number.



- Have traded hiring and firing and wearing menacing heels everyday to a busy office for laundry and dishes and having dinner on the table for everyone each night. . .and wouldn't trade it for the world.



- Some things we can't live without: cheerios, his favorite lullaby CD, a board book, socks, Bill's bongos, and recently, baby gates.



- I have an incredibly hard time not going up to expecting mothers and telling them to sleep before the baby comes. . .I luckily haven't done that to anyone yet. . .except my sister in law. . . sorry Aunt Colette!



Today we go see Dr. M for our one year checkup. I'll post our stats tomorrow. We also will have a nice quiet dinner with Memere and Pepere tomorrow and a Goguen party on Saturday. I'm sure I'll have plenty of pictures of both for you soon.


Here's the most modest first picture of Cole that we have. . .