Hurry Up/Slow Down
Monday, October 13th, 2014From Monday Mom – Neetika:
I am so much more at ease in caring for Hudson through his newborn days than I was with Haley. Most likely the biggest reason for this is my experience and facility with breastfeeding. The first time around, I didn’t know what I was doing, what was normal, and how to tell if my baby was thriving. This time, I’m sure the baby is doing fine and I’m much more laid back about it. In fact, I’m much more laid back about everything. I’m not trying to interpret the contents of every diaper for some hidden meaning about wellness. I’m not always checking to make sure the baby is breathing at night. (Well… I check, but not constantly!) I’m not worried about every little mark that appears or noise he makes. He’s doing great, and I’m grateful.
Yet newborns aren’t always the most exciting bunch. I find myself looking wistfully forward to when he’ll give me a smile (that isn’t a reflex) and start to interact a bit more. Then again, he’s such a precious little bundle, and I know that I will never, ever get this time back. I simultaneously want him to grow and not change one bit!
The most important thing to me, as I look to the future, is just being open to who Hudson is, and being thoughtful about how to be his best parent. I remember how much it irritated me when well-meaning relatives would ascribe personality traits to a very young Haley. I have the same protective instinct with Hudson. It’s nice that they are amazed by how wonderfully “alert” he is or that he somehow seems “smart” (Okay…). I just want him to be who he is and I think it’s my job to encourage him. And I vow to myself to be patient with his development, and appreciate every step of the way.