Then and Now

In the hospital:

Then -- Wondering who is this foreign creature next to me...what do I do with him? Maybe we should just stay in the hospital forever; they seem to know what they're doing here.
Now -- A feeling of comfort with an instinctive knowledge of this little person who has come to join our family; he is familiar to me.

First day at home:

Then -- Insecure, exhausted, insecure, worried
Now -- Comfortable to just hold the baby for hours, understanding that these are fleeting moments that must be cherished

At 2am and 4am and 5am:

Then -- Exhausted, wondering if I will ever sleep again
Now -- Confident that this will be one of a finite number of nights I will see the middle of the night with a crying baby; this will pass; I will sleep again.

I almost hate to say this as I know there is a strong possibility that in a few months I will be singing a different tune, but things just seem so much easier this time around. My body is recovering faster, I am not as tired, baby care is more manageable. I am keenly aware that Nathaniel is growing and changing every day--every moment, even. I am trying to savor these moments because I know all too well that I will blink and he'll be an on-the-go, rough-and-tumble four year old. But that will be pretty awesome, too.


Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!