dear: new mom...

My past few days have been filled with reflection and contemplation.. That lead me back to the day my life changed, the biggest day of my life, the day my little was born.
I've seen so many women expecting lately, their bellies swollen with hope and possibility - oblivious to the ways in which their lives will be forever reshaped by the tiny hearts beating inside them.
It's so radical yet so natural.
Thinking back to those days, my heart is full and I find myself wanting to share words of encouragement (not advice) for it is the encouragement that will without doubt, be needed....

So if this is you-late in the night or so early in the morning, somewhere in between, or you have no idea. Ive been you - i am you. Searching for words of understanding- making sense of this beautiful chaos that is motherhood.. read on.

Dear New mom:
I'm sure by now you have received a plethora of advice about all the sleep your going to miss, how your gunna have so much laundry and that your date nights are going to be a shadow of the past..
But what you might not have heard is how you are going to be changed. Your heart, your body and your spirit. 
It really is true that when a baby is born, so is a mother. The learning curve for both is equally daunting and amazing.

Everyone else will have the utmost patience and care for that new little being so save a little of that care and concern for yourself.
It's a time for gentle transition, physical and emotional. Your body will be tired and you will feel as though you've been at war for quite awhile all the while you have adopted this new sense of responsibility and exhaustion. 
You might be high on adrenaline, support and if your lucky-love. 
Enjoy those first few hours, there truly is nothing like the new and raw emotion of childbirth. And if your not in 'love-at-first-sight' with this little being, thats ok. give it time....

Truth is, this little rockstar is going to emerge on the scene and that 'utmost attention and care' is going to fade fast into feedings and daily chores...you will be changed piece by piece, day by day. Your heart will grow with adoration and patience...

Furthermore, your next few months will be a blur of blessings tied with the hormonal roller coaster that is a woman's body and recovery, your body will recover but your heart has been changed now forevermore..
Every sad story of a child in the news will leave you raw and clinging your own little one with fear and gratitude. Other children's challenges and heartbreak will hit you- you will offer them heartfelt joy or empathy that you never understood before.
Your life is no longer about your personal goals and dreams-you see those now in the eyes of your children- and nothing else matters... so one bath at a time, one friday night out to the grocery store solo or one more glass of wine.. life does continue, it just takes a little adjustment and soon without fail, you will wander back to thinking what your life was like before all this, sleeping in, being you - and you will smile because it was great. What you can't see just yet is that life now is full and the joy that is ahead of you in the 'little' things is far far far better than anything you can imagine now. 

Stay strong momma, your doing a great great great job.