{All About Mommy} my take on mommyhood - a few months in

Well, hi there everyone!  I'm Darci....Texas born and raised, lover of mimosas, pedicures, coffee, JESUS, my mini, blogging, my main man, shopping and so much more {and no, not in that particular order - ha!!}.  I've been writing over at [THE GOOD LIFE BLOG] for over 6 years now and love being able to look back on our lives as newlyweds, expecting our first babe, his arrival and life ever since!  I love celebrating little things in a big way, making our house a home and laughing along the way as I navigate my way through mommyhood!

I was so flattered when Jen asked me to guest post for this fun series she's doing. There isn't a job in this world, nor a title that I could dream up that I would consider more important "work" than that of being a momma.  So, of course, I jumped at the chance to share my experiences / my take on mommyhood!

As I started to think about what I wanted to share, a post that I'd written when my son, Jackson, was just 2-months old came to mind.  That was 20 months ago, ladies [insert a slight breakdown, tears and heavy, ugly sobbing included]....  and no, I have not a clue where the time has gone.  I do know that I've gone back to this post time and time again and it makes me smile because it's all still so true ....  just insert a few changes with toddlerhood, of course.  But the gist of it remains the same and always will.  You're forever changed once you become a mom.

So, with that, here's "My Take on Mommyhood - Just a Few Months In" that I wrote in August of 2011 and look back on often........

I simply can't believe it - our sweet boy has been here for 2 whole months?!

We are parents?  We are old enough to be parents?   We are kind of doing okay at this whole thing [most days]?  Whhhhaaaaaattt??  


It seems like just minutes ago the hubs and I were walking the block time and time again [yah, as in 2 miles a day the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy!] in hopes of helping move things along to meet baby J.  Well, he's been with us for just over 2 months now, so I feel a little more comfortable sharing my take on mommyhood thus far!

• I truly don't how it's possible for a couple to have a baby and not believe in God.  I mean, WOW..... if the birth of your child won't show you that He has a plan for your life and make you sit there in awe of the tremendous blessing He's entrusted you with, I don't know what will.

• I'm certain that if I ever hear anyone count to TEN again, it'll make me throw up.  1....2...3.................  gag me.  Ugh.  Yah, labor was definitely not easy.

• I love my husband in a whole new way.  I can't put to words how proud I am to be his wife and mama to our mini.

• My new "normal" is talking in a baby voice for 3/4 of the day.

• I'm pretty sure I worsened the baby acne he got around a month old with the 7,200 kisses I plant on his face every day.  I try not to put on lipstick or chapstick too often now so I don't have junk on my lips when I want to kiss my mini.......which is about every second of every day.

• This motherhood gig is way, wayyyyyyy easier than I thought.  In fact, I might just be the best mama ever and J is definitely the best baby ever.  Gawwwdddd.... we've GOT THIS!  Wait for it, wait for it............

• Change of thought.  This motherhood gig is way harder than I thought possible [I THINK THIS AS FOLLOWS..................on the few nights when the mini wakes up every 4 hours and for the love of everything holy, mama just wants to sleep, when he has the saddest little cough I've ever heard, when he is crying and I can't figure out what's wrong to make it all better, when I'd sell my soul for a long nap, a bath and to blow dry my hair, when I think about the day we will hug his neck and say goodbye to him when he goes off to college.....or a step further when I think about when he completely deserts me marries the Godly woman of his dreams that I'm already praying for.

• The last line item brings me to tears.  He will leave us some day.  And I know that it's all part of it.  My biggest goal, desire and privilege is to raise him to be a wonderful young man..........although I'd like to keep him "as is" for as long as humanly possible.  A little 14 pound, smiling, coo-ing, chunkster!

• Please excuse me as I call my two best friends and beg for their advice because I am so not prepared for this mommyhood business!!!!   I don't know a damn thing about raising a baby or medical care for a baby?!  Eeeekkkkkk!!!!!!!!!  LACCCCEEEEEEE (that's me yelling for my best friend, Lacey)...... what do I do when... [insert xyz here].  Or KALLLLLLLLLLL (that's me yelling for my best friend, Kallie, who is a nurse and freakin' aunt KK of the  year)............baby J has a fever.... what do I do?!!!?!

• Little mister -  I used to have a super.skinny.almost.concave.stretch-mark.free.tummy.  I have this no more.  Maybe never again?  For those of you who have yet to birth a babe, look at your body now and say "for real - I look goooodddddddddd!"!  ;)  No, really..... DO IT....do it now.

• I wish I could freeze time.  No, I really do.  Of course, I'm eager to watch my babe grow and develop, but I'm a "baby" person and these days are precious and perfect to me.  

• My husband's goal for this weekend is to put graphite on all of the door hinges [they squeeeakkkk and wake up the mini].  Our old goal for the weekends:  make it to church on Sunday and hopefully brunch.  Also, relax a lot.

• Will he ever know how much I love him????  Maybe when he's 28 and welcoming his first babe into the world?  Maybe then?

• I now say the following words frequently to my husband and neither of us bat an eye:  nipple, scrotum, poopie and pump.  These words rarely came out of my mouth as of 9 weeks ago.

• I realize how insignificant things are that I used to worry myself sick about.  If my little family is happy and healthy, all is right with the world.

• Freakin' bottles, bottle nipples, breast pump parts, etc.  For real.  This is a post in and of itself.  I wash these things 82 times a day.  I used to be on conference calls, review reports and go to meetings.... now I wash burp cloths, bottles, nipples and breast pump sucker thingies.  And I'm happy with my decision and opportunity to now spend my days doing the later of the two. 

• JCrew, Ann Taylor Loft, Banana???  Yah, I know, I don't see you much anymore.  It's because I'm online at Amazon Mom or perusing the aisles at Babies R Us because J just had his 2 month shots and a random toy [that he totally isn't big enough yet to play with it] will make his tears and sore leg all better.  But GUYS.......  Don't forget about me - I hope to be back some day.  In the meantime, please stop emailing me about all of your great sales.  Thanks, Darci.

I could go on and on.  Simply put - the past two months have been perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  They've been hard and trying at times and we've felt inadequate, ill prepared, exhausted, etc., but our overall take on it?  PERFECT.  HUMBLED. BLESSED.  PRIVILEGED.  totally.want.to.wait.a.good.long.while.for.#2.

So, if you're on the fence about signing up for a mini......pay your dues and make it happen.  BEST THING WE'VE EVER DONE.  Just make sure you have two best friends to call, a great marriage to begin with and an open mind............because these babes don't come with instruction manuals.  And don't blink because they sure do grow quick!  HERE'S PROOF...... [edited to include his "first year" photos and one of him now, at a month shy of 2 years old!]

And this is my sweet babe who is "all boy" with a personality bigger than life at 22 months old [and yah, I've become that mom who refuses to just say "almost two" because 2 just doesn't seem possible! Ha!]

Thank you, Jen, for having me!!  And for those of you reading, I'd love for you to stop by and get to know me and my little fam of three a little better!  Happy [almost] weekend, everyone!