Our sweet tiny newborn.... Uhhhh I mean that big 20+lb mobile baby (sheesh!) is turning 8 months on Saturday! Seriously!? He is just a few weeks shy of being on the outside for as long as he was on the inside. I can't even fathom this. I used to sit and feel his crazy karate kicks and wonder and day dream what he would be like. He's even more active now and his personality is even more fun than I ever could have imagined. With every day that passes and with every milestone he reaches I fall in love with him even more. Sometimes I feel like my heart will burst with love.
He has an affinity towards electronics of all kind, wheels and vertical blinds haha. And trust me- he is very mobile now. He will get to all of these thing a regardless of how far away you set him down from them. As much as I feel sad to see him growing up, I feel soooooo proud to see him accomplish new things and actually reach whatever he was striving to get. (Yes even when that means moving him off the blinds for the 100th time).
During my pregnancy I really wasn't sure about this whole parenting thing. Everyone always asked me if I was nervous about labor/delivery. I always said no. And it was the truth. My answer was that I was beyond nervous being entrusted to raise this baby into a boy and a man. The fact is now after 8 months- we are doing a good job. This is coming from the couple who the day we found out he was in my belly we googled "I'm pregnant, now what?"
It's funny but it really did happen. But anyway here is what I've learned:
- there is no right or wrong answer. There are a million parenting questions to answer starting from pregnancy all the way on through. Research everything. And I mean everything. You can not research too much. As long as you have all the information, and both sides of the story- whatever decision you make is the right one for your family. In my opinion the only wrong answer is the one you make blindly without questioning or researching.
- never say never. We were told by countless people and swore ourselves that our children would never sleep in our bed. Never. We even bought an adorable bassinet. We came home 6 hours after he was born and set him in it. He screamed his face off and so slept that first night on my chest. 8 months later and he still snuggles and nurses all night long. I wouldn't change it for a moment. One day I will wish he still did.
Gavin is the happiest baby I know. Even when he is sad or in discomfort from teething you can get him to smile. Honestly we must be doing something right. It is soooooo easy to get caught up wondering if you should have done something differently, if only this or that, or so-and-so do things this way, my coworker'a baby sleeps by himself in the crib all night long etc etc. I'm here and writing this to remind myself (and anyone who makes it through reading all this nonsense) that you (and I) are doing a great job. Raising a child(ren) is the toughest and most rewarding job in the world.
I have spent 8 months exclusively breast feeding. Nursing on demand and comfort nursing. Washing diapers. Changing poopy diapers. Giving baths. Adjusting the car seat straps for the 100th time.
I may not be doing it how the text book says. I may not be doing it how you did. How your parents did. Or how my parents did. But Andre and I are doing it together. As a team. We are raising this sweet baby to the best of our ability and I am so proud of what we've done so far. I am so excited to continue on this journey with Gavin and hopefully any other blessing(s) we receive from The Lord.
I am more passionate than I ever thought I could be on cosleeping, breast feeding, cloth diapering, keeping boys intact, babywearing, natural pregnancy/labor/delivery/parenting. I was MADE for this and I LOVE it.
Thank you Gavin for being the amazing little boy you are. Thank you lord god for trusting him to us!
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