One year ago today, Mr. Preston Lawrence Sanders came into my life and flipped my world upside down. He wieghed in at a whopping 8 lbs, 13 oz (I round up to nine, because that is sure what it felt like!) & 20 inches Long.
My Baby is ONE!!! How is this possible? It is a bittersweet feeling. Do I miss the colic and sleepless nights? No, not at all! Do I miss the newborn days where he would take three or four 3 hour naps a day? Yes! Do I miss the days I would put him on his tummy and he would scream the whole time? No!
So many times Moms are so sad for their babies to grow up and turn one. Here are some of the reason I am thinking happy & celebratory thoughts today:
~Preston had a three days stay in the NICU due to his cord being wrapped around his neck, causing a stressful delivery. As a result, he had trouble breathing. As happy as I was to have a healthy baby, otherwise, it was a very difficult three days. I had to wait about 8 hours before I got to hold him for the first time.
~I made sure that the nurse knew that he was to be breastfed only, yet he was rushed into the NICU and was given a bottle. Because of this, I fought with Preston for two weeks to finally start breast feeding.
~I had to see my baby hooked up to machines, and go into panic mode every time his heart rate was too fast or too slow.
~We left the hospital without Preston, and had to spend a night away from him. It was only one night, and I know that there are many other mothers that have to spend many nights away from their babies, because they have much larger issues, but for me that one night away was VERY difficult. I cried all the way home and pretty much the whole night. I never imagined I would leave the hospital without him. Bringing a baby home for the first time is an exciting moment for any family, but for Jake and I, it was a moment that we had been anticipating for three days.
~Once we brought him home, the sleep deprivation set in and it was a luxury to take a shower. Thank goodness my mom was there to help cook, clean and be there for moral support. My Hubby was also so supportive and such a BIG Help!
~A month later, he became colicky, and didn't grow out of it until he was about 4.5 months old. He didn't start sleeping through the night until he was 5 months old. Luckily, at three months we discovered the Sleep Suit. More about this in this post.
Those are just a few reasons that I celebrate Preston's birth and the fact that he is one!
A year later we are all sleeping through the night, he is sitting up, crawling, experimenting with walking, eating table food, drinking out of a sippy cup, talking, giving wet baby kisses, waves buh bye, and plays patty cake. He is a happy & healthy bucket of little boy joy. He is snips and snails and puppy dog tails. He reminds me to laugh and to live life, because it sure does go fast. I may not sleep in anymore, have as much "Me Time", and manis and pedis are a luxury, but now I drink a cup of coffee, treat nap time like gold and neglect my nails. This is my new life, and I love it. Life is good. So yes, today, I celebrate all that Preston is and can do. All that we've been through and accomplished. All that he is and what I have learned. I am not sad, because I made it through the first year (and so did he!). Do I miss how little and cuddly he used to be? Yes. But, we will have another one, and I will get that again.
It amazes me how babies grow and change so much in a year. Below are month by month pictures of Preston. I barely recognize that newborn baby.
A few of Preston's "firsts".
What a great year it's been. When they say it goes fast, and to cherish every moment, they are right. Take mental snapshots, because before you know it they are one.
Happy Birthday Preston!! I love you More than you will ever know!
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