Last week little miss turned 8 months. These little monthly markings have become quite the celebration for our family. My aunt and mom love to give her a little gift…. usually an “I couldn’t resist that” piece of clothing. We sing her a little birthday song, and I usually reflect on where I was 8 months ago (I have a feeling I’m going to be one of those moms who always tells their child “On the night you were born….” <insert Harper’s eye roll here>….), and on the past month in general. Each month she grows so much… changes so much… that I don’t really see the changes until I stop and reflect. So, with that being said, here are my reflections on yet another month in the books as a momma.
General Thoughts + Feelings: One evening, when I was having a particularly hard “mom day,” I wrote down some thoughts with the intention of revisiting it when I sat down to write this post. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to share, but I thought, I’ve been honest thus far in my journey, why not? Here is what I wrote:
“Those shirts that say “mom life is the best life” are kind of cliché to me. What they fail to capture is that mom life is full of so many competing feelings. One moment I can feel overjoyed with her small little accomplsuhemnts (was that a “dada”I heard???) and the next racked with guilt for something I failed to prevent (face planting after pulling up….). #momlife is filled with highs and lows. With feeling like you’re the best mom ever, and feeling like you’re the worst. Feeling like you know exactly what you’re doing. Feeling like you have no clue.”
That was pretty much it… I guess it was cathartic on some level. It was probably one of those days where I was trying to do too many things at once (you know those days??). It’s funny, on our flight to Boston, Harper fell asleep in my arms and I sat there just looking at her tiny little features. I was overcome with how much time has gone by and how much she has grown since that first moment I held her. I remember feeling so anxious in those first few hours, wondering if I was doing everything right. It was advice I recently gave to my girlfriend who is expecting. I told her to just take the moment in and to not worry…. latching, breastfeeding…. it will all fall into place. Just enjoy the moment. That’s my motto for this month ahead… to try and just enjoy each moment (although, sometimes that’s easier said than done).
Sleeping + Feeding: Still nursing over here people! I thought after last month’s post I would be writing something different in this section… but, nope. We have had progress with a bottle though, which is very encouraging. With the introduction of solid foods a few months back, if she doesn’t take as much milk at one feeding it ends up being supplemented with some of the solids. It gives me hope… and this coming weekend, when I go wedding dress shopping with my sister, TJ will be going it alone with her…. so #OperationBottle will be in full effect. In all honesty, he does great with it. He’s super patient with her, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
In the meantime, I continue to look for cute nursing items. I recently found this adorable peplum tank and wore it all over Boston. It has a muscle tank fit, so I simply pulled it to one side to nurse. Super easy access. I also purchased this plaid button-up dress last year (the one linked is this year’s pattern). It’s a great option for those days that I want to wear a dress… it’s easy to unbutton and super comfortable. I also shared this floral print top in a recent post (it has since been marked down 40%), and love the button-front access.
I recently introduced these dissolvable puffs and Harper loved them. I did too. For a number of reasons. First, they helped her with fine motor skills, the pincer grasp if you will (which in turn occupied a whole lot of time…. which is always a nice thing when you’re trying to eat). Secondly, they introduced a different consistency to her, which I am hoping to do over the next couple of weeks. I actually really enjoy introducing new situations to her. I love to see how she will respond, and love to promote curiosity and exploration.
As far as sleeping goes, not much has changed here. Her naps have been getting shorter in the mornings, so I am thinking that it might fade out in a couple of months. We will see!
Fitness/Body:
Well…. my hair has STOPPED falling out. Amen! I swear it had so much to do with the collagen protein. I use this stuff daily. I used to run my hands through my hair and so many pieces would fall out. Now? Nothing. It has been a serious relief and something I feel so good about.
This is also the first month where I have started to feel like things were falling into place. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my moments, but I certainly feel much better than I did a couple of months ago. I was able to return to a SoulCycle class a few weeks ago, as well as a Core Power Yoga Sculpt class. It felt so good to return to classes that I loved so much prior to little miss’ arrival, and I’m hoping to be able to go more often.
Relationships: I feel so blessed to have many friends who have gone before me into motherhood. They are all so understanding when I don’t return their text for, say, a couple of days. Something that I rarely did before becoming a mom. I’ve been very intentional this month to set up dates with my girlfriends…. or to at least send text messages back and forth. Whenever I do this, I am typically left feeling rejuvenated. There is just something about a few hours (or a few texts) with girlfriends that leaves me feeling so positive.
I was going to write that “as far as marriage goes, all is status quo…” but then I realized that isn’t true. While things might not seem to be very different, I would argue that things are actually constantly changing. We’re continually sharing the dance of parenthood… sometimes it’s a cinch, other times it’s hard. Yet, with each easy day, and each challenging day, comes growth. A greater understanding of how to help the other and a stronger sense of a united parenting team. I think I’m blessed to have married my best friend… because at the end of the day, no matter how hard it was, I know we have each other to fall back on!
Favorite Moments: I think one of my favorite moments from this past month was our trip to Boston. I was so unsure how we would all manage the short trip, and despite the whirlwind journey home (it.was.long.) it was so worth it. I just love showing her new places. TJ and I both know that she will never remember these moments, but I like to believe that as those little neurons are firing in her brain, they are building happy connections, and that somewhere in there it’s helping her feel loved and secure.
I’ve also found so much joy in watching her physical development…. this gal pulls up on anything she can (think refrigerator) and just yesterday made the transition from this play table (which she absolutely loves) to the coffee table. If this lady starts walking in the next couple of months, I’m going to be in big trouble! We’ve baby proofed the house, so bring it on I guess.
We continue to go to the music/reading time when we are in town. She seems to love it, and I love having her around other kiddos. I also started MOPS at our church, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that all plays out over the next few months.
Oh, we also have one more tooth…. and this girl has a set of lungs on her. She screams to pretty much just let us know “Hi, I’m here!”
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That’s pretty much it for this month. I can’t believe we’re moving into the 9th month! We have a few trips planned…. our first family trip with one of my best girlfriends from childhood and her new little family to Ojai… and then a trip to Hawaii for Tj’s birthday. In between those big moments will be the smaller, everyday, moments. I can’t wait to see how they all fit together. Wish us luck this month!
