There is something magical about a baby. Whenever I am around them, I find myself just staring, watching their every move, hoping they will make eye contact with me and smile...isn't that a precious moment? Not until this weekend did I realize that I haven't really spent all that much time around babies. I have 6 nieces and nephews so one would think that I have spent tons of time around babies but I really haven't. My oldest niece was born when I was 16. I would be around her during the day, or watch her for a couple hours, but never was I with her for more than 5 hours or so at a time and rarely was I ever alone with her. The remaining nieces and nephews all came while I was living away from home so sadly I didn't get to spend as much time with them as I would have liked either. This weekend, while spending a wonderful 72 hours with my best friend and her adorbale 4 month old, I realized I hadn't really been around babies all that much - you think you know, but I didn't have a clue what it really takes.
I know that someday I will have children of my own. There are even days when I think, maybe I should just become a stay at home mom, wouldn't that be such an easier life? Now, that I have spent an extended amount of time with a baby (an amazingly well-behaved and easy baby), I realize just how much I love my best friend's baby - and I will continue just loving her baby, I am definitely not ready for my own. Babies are a lot of work, a complete life change, and overall more effort than I really had imagined. First, they take constant coordination. Just to pick me up from the airport we had to have a babysitter, didn't want to wake that precious baby during the night. And, all appointments and outings have to be scheduled around feeding and nap time. Second, mom doesn't get to sleep through the night. Not only does Shelly wake up to the soft cries of her baby at 3:00 am and 6:00 am when it's time for a snack, but she also wakes up on a 30 min to hourly basis and frantically pats down the bed looking for her baby. Yes, she wakes up in a panic thinking that the baby is sleeping next to her and that she lost him. Her husband even has to calm her down, "Shelly, Jaimeson is in his crib, it's ok." It's actually quite commical! Third, the old daily schedule of get ready, work 8 hours, relax 6, sleep 8 is now divided into three hour increments which consist of three activities - feed, play, nap - which go on around the clock non-stop, 24 hours a day. That schedule is the bible! Fourth, you no longer have two hands. Everything you do you have to try to do with one hand holding a baby. I could go on and on about all the small little changes that a baby brings into your life but this list is a great start and enough to keep me a working woman and not a stay at home mommy anytime soon.
In all honesty though, it was absolutely wonderful to watch my best friend, who I feel I know better than anyone in the world, tackle these life changes with grace and ease - she takes it on like its nothing. I always knew she was amazing and the best at everything that she does, but watching her during this aspect of her life makes me love and appreciate her all that much more. She has it all figured out and it seems as if she has been a mommy for years, not just 4 short months. That sweet little baby is her life, she loves him and would do anything for him. I look up to her, I envy her and I hope that one day it will be as effortless for me to be a mom during my
Life As A Wife.
There is something magical about a baby. Whenever I am around them, I find myself just staring, watching their every move, hoping they will make eye contact with me and smile...isn't that a precious moment? Not until this weekend did I realize that I haven't really spent all that much time around babies. I have 6 nieces and nephews so one would think that I have spent tons of time around babies but I really haven't. My oldest niece was born when I was 16. I would be around her during the day, or watch her for a couple hours, but never was I with her for more than 5 hours or so at a time and rarely was I ever alone with her. The remaining nieces and nephews all came while I was living away from home so sadly I didn't get to spend as much time with them as I would have liked either. This weekend, while spending a wonderful 72 hours with my best friend and her adorbale 4 month old, I realized I hadn't really been around babies all that much - you think you know, but I didn't have a clue what it really takes.
I know that someday I will have children of my own. There are even days when I think, maybe I should just become a stay at home mom, wouldn't that be such an easier life? Now, that I have spent an extended amount of time with a baby (an amazingly well-behaved and easy baby), I realize just how much I love my best friend's baby - and I will continue just loving her baby, I am definitely not ready for my own. Babies are a lot of work, a complete life change, and overall more effort than I really had imagined. First, they take constant coordination. Just to pick me up from the airport we had to have a babysitter, didn't want to wake that precious baby during the night. And, all appointments and outings have to be scheduled around feeding and nap time. Second, mom doesn't get to sleep through the night. Not only does Shelly wake up to the soft cries of her baby at 3:00 am and 6:00 am when it's time for a snack, but she also wakes up on a 30 min to hourly basis and frantically pats down the bed looking for her baby. Yes, she wakes up in a panic thinking that the baby is sleeping next to her and that she lost him. Her husband even has to calm her down, "Shelly, Jaimeson is in his crib, it's ok." It's actually quite commical! Third, the old daily schedule of get ready, work 8 hours, relax 6, sleep 8 is now divided into three hour increments which consist of three activities - feed, play, nap - which go on around the clock non-stop, 24 hours a day. That schedule is the bible! Fourth, you no longer have two hands. Everything you do you have to try to do with one hand holding a baby. I could go on and on about all the small little changes that a baby brings into your life but this list is a great start and enough to keep me a working woman and not a stay at home mommy anytime soon. 
In all honesty though, it was absolutely wonderful to watch my best friend, who I feel I know better than anyone in the world, tackle these life changes with grace and ease - she takes it on like its nothing. I always knew she was amazing and the best at everything that she does, but watching her during this aspect of her life makes me love and appreciate her all that much more. She has it all figured out and it seems as if she has been a mommy for years, not just 4 short months. That sweet little baby is her life, she loves him and would do anything for him. I look up to her, I envy her and I hope that one day it will be as effortless for me to be a mom during my Life As A Wife. 
3 comments:
What a doll! I'm right there with you Jo, love em, not ready for one. I am so glad you got to visit. Wow Shelly is all grown up!
You are so sweet.... I am not that good, but I do try really hard! You will be the absolute best mommy when the time is right! I will be there to help you, and I will even pass along my sign language book. We are starting today!!! Miss you like crazy!
My mom read this and thinks that something is wrong with me... She wants me to go and see her "healer" in Saratoga to get me through the frantic waking up. You wonder why I am so weird! She also reminded me that I have always had sleep issues, sleepwalking etc... Justin also informed me that I patted him down again last night. It is funny to me!
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