They tell you that the first year flies by but you never quite believe them. I do! This is INSANE… my baby is two days away from being 6 months old! Wow… I was skeptical because they also said that you forget the pain of childbirth afterwards but you don’t. So don’t blame for being a non-believer. The time flying thing- now THAT is true.
You never know how old you are getting and how fast you are getting old until you have a baby. One minute you are holding a fragile, tiny baby in your arms and the next minute they are over a foot tall and grinning at you while trying to burp, laugh and fart at the same time.
I haven’t been able to update my blog in over a month because she is changing so fast I am afraid to blink. Her features are changing and maturing. She is starting to understand cause and effect. She knows how to flirt, play, giggle, yell and string nonsense syllables into what sounds like a fully legit conversation. She appeals to me with those big eyes and even prefers sitting up to lying down. Who would have guessed that my baby would be so smart?
I read in books the different stages and what she is supposed to be able to achieve by now and I know, in my logical and intellectual mind, that she is developing like all other babies in the world but to her dad and I, she is the most intelligent little baby in the world.
It’s true what they say about this bias as well… no matter what our baby does or does not do, she is perfect in our eyes. People always ogle her and want to hold her and tell us how beautiful she is. Every baby is beautiful but when we look at her, we don’t just see a pretty little chubby double-chinned face, we see her potential… we see beyond the skin and see her mind, her heart, her personality. We are in love with the toothless blurting out of sounds, the noisy reverberating farts and the shy blinking smiling glances she tosses at one of us once in a while.
Parenthood is intense. Children change the marriage and the spouses. The effect on the fathers varies from the mothers but either way, they both change. I think I became a mother the minute I found out I was pregnant. My husband became a father the minute she was placed in his arms in the C-section room and our baby was staring at him with one eye because of all the bright lights. The implications of parenthood; however, do not hit the couple until much later when they realize that they can’t even enjoy a glass of wine without having to plan for their baby first.
Everything changes, nothing stays the same and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
It was her first Christmas and she slept through most of it. Her presence was a gift enough to her grandparents and great grandparents. The family doted on her and held her and cooed and tickled. She just sat back and enjoyed the attention- which she also gets from me. Anyone who knows me knows that I love the spotlight.
Every day I wake up feeling blessed and satisfied. 2011 has been good to me and childbirth pains are not forgotten but well worth it. I might even decide I want another baby but we will see. Truth is, I am enjoying our little baby girl so much, I want nothing else that will distract me from her. I don’t even like thinking about where I will place her in 6 months when I go back to work- eeeeeek. That could be another blog entirely!
For now, I will close by wishing everyone a happy new year and for all the good parents out there whether your children are 1 or 70, thank you and God bless you for your existence and your perseverance.
Parents are creators, disciplinarians, doctors, friends, specialists, entertainers, educators and most of all; we are our children’s foundation and core.
See you in 2012.
S. Martignani
smartignani 