Reflections on Mommyhood

My son is getting so big.  Today he is 7 months old.  He has grown so fast and is no longer just being kept alive by the milk I provide for him.  I'll be honest...I just don't know how I feel about all these constant changes.  When something grows inside of you for 9-10 months, there is such a strong connection.  Then, I was lucky enough to have an amazing labor and delivery and when I saw my son for the first time, I was instantly bonded.  As my son becomes more mobile, I see that even now he is less and less dependent on me.  He is only 7 months old and I already feel like things are flying by so fast that I am missing things.  That may be because I have gone back to work.  I love my job and feel it is important as I am helping to shape our country’s youth in the public education system, but being at work means my son is in the care of someone else.  This makes me uncomfortable at times because I have trust issues and seriously, how can I ever know what all he is doing during the day?  What am I missing?

Plus now that I have a new role in life, I am trying to redefine who I am.  Before baby, I was just a girl.  In a span of a few short years, I became a wife and a mother.  How do these new roles change what I do, what I care about, and my overall priorities?  I used to be a well-rounded individual with knowledge of current events and injustices across the world.  Now, I don't have a clue what is going on because I listen to baby Beethoven and a variety of other kids CD's in the car instead of NPR like the pre-baby days.  I was passionate about my career and was going to change the world.  Now I am consumed with caring for my son in the moment or preparing everything that is needed for the next day and am lucky to know if something happens down the street!  This new world of mommyhood is really something!  I am excited to figure out what all I will learn/experience.

I thank the Lord I am not alone on my journey in parenthood.  My husband is AMAZING!  My son adores him and they play together all the time.  My husband cooks, does laundry, cleans, makes me laugh, asks if I need help with anything, and is always there to lend a helping hand.  I constantly say to myself and out loud that I don't know how single parents do it!!! 

I seek companionship with other mothers who love their children and need to talk about their journeys as parents.  And always: I would enjoy anything that would make me laugh!

Beth