Some women have wanted to be a mom for as long as they can remember. I am not one of those women. Sure, I played house when I was little. But once puberty hit, and the reality of having children settled in, I erased being a mom from my life plan. Add that to the tally of the many things I said I’d never do in life, and, bam, here we are—sixteen months into the Mom Adventure.
It was a book, IndoctriNation, that changed my mind about having children. It put me absolutely in love with the idea of having a family. I didn’t recognize myself for weeks. Who was this woman that wanted to have a baby with my man? I eventually got to know her and came to terms with this identity switch.
The pregnancy was about as good as you can get. We had an awesome, super-fast homebirth (at which my husband got to catch our son). And then came the confidential fourth trimester. Apparently, every-mom-ever knows about the fourth trimester but keeps this clandestine information to themselves while they celebrate the pending joy of a new baby with unsuspecting, first-time mothers. (We’ll talk about the horrors of the fourth trimester in an upcoming series.)
And now my baby is almost eight months old! They say the time goes by too fast, but let me tell you . . . for a stay-at-home-mom, those first months last an eternity. So here I am, a lifetime later, with something positive to share: the best mom thing.
I don’t know, maybe I’m the exception. But I wasn’t into the floppy head, the total helplessness, the tiny, fragile baby parts. This was all too terrifying for a sleep-deprived Rachel to enjoy. It was only once my little man started learning new skills that I started experiencing real joy. Like the first time he held up his head. Wow. Then there was the first time he pooped on his potty (this was followed by a huge grin). Wow. Later came the first time he reached for something and took hold of it. Wow. Even the time he pulled a huge glass of expensive, green smoothie off the counter as we walked by and exploded it all over me and my nephew right before church was a wonder to behold. And now that he’s experimenting with crawling and walking . . . oh, this mama’s heart!
The other day he was on all fours and started rocking his little bottom. He thrust himself forward about an inch, looked at me, and laughed and laughed and laughed. And more recently, he stood on his own for the first time in his pack and play. He laughed and laughed and laughed. Oh, the delight!
Now I understand why my mama always tells me how happy she is to hear when I learn new things, how happy she is when she sees me enjoying life. There’s no other relationship I’ve ever had in which I’ve experienced such pure happiness at watching the achievements of another.
In the midst of all the challenges motherhood brings, I am grateful for this best mom thing.
What is your best mom thing? Do share!
Pleasant penning,
Rachel E. Newman, CP
Freelance Editor and Indexer
Certified Paralegal
www.RevisionsbyRachel.com
Editor@RevisionsbyRachel.com
Rachel E. Newman holds a BS degree from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. She is a member of the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, is certified with the Christian Editor Connection, serves as a judge for the Excellence in Editing Award, and serves as a faculty member for PENCON, the only conference for editors in the Christian market.
PENCON 2017 will be held May 4–6, 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn how to enter the editing field or enhance an already established career. Network with other editors, and meet with the speakers one-on-one. For more information, visit http://thechristianpen.com/pencon/.
What a heartwarming post. I love it when babies laugh! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! It’s one of the best sounds ever, isn’t it?
LOVE! <3
Thanks, Bokerah!
Great blog! Thanks for going on this adventure with me.
You bet! There’s no one I’d rather be with on this ride!
The belly laughs that only true baby hysteria can bring. Nothing like them.
They ARE wonderful!!!