Motherhood: 7 Years In

It’s hard to believe it but the baby that was never going to arrive (born at 42 weeks) is now seven years old. I remember taking her to one of her first pediatrician visits and spotting a one year old in the waiting room who practically looked like an adult compared to my tiny week-old baby. At the time, I couldn’t fathom what it would be like to have a ONE year old baby, much less a baby that could hold its own head up and sleep longer than 45 minutes at a time.

But here we are, seven years later.

Being in the thick of early motherhood was intense. It was hard and wonderful. It was torturous and rewarding. It took every ounce of energy that I had (and then some). Honestly, it was a solid year after Landon stopped nursing before I was able to really wrap my brain around the toll that those early days took on my mental and physical wellbeing.

Sometimes I’ll get a pang for the baby stage and wonder if I dare have another. But then I’m quickly reminded of how amazing my life is now with a seven and almost-five year old.

For the first time since becoming a mother, I feel free. I love, love, love this stage of parenting. I finally feel all those warm fuzzies that everyone said I would feel when my babies were born. We recently spent a weekend in Cambria and it was the best family vacation we have been on thus far. As I mentioned before, there was a magical evening at our hotel where the kids ran around playing games with their cousins while I sat nearby at a fire pit sipping wine and reading a book at sunset. They were having a wonderful time, I was having a wonderful time. It was…wonderful.

Our lives are certainly not perfect. We all get mad at each other and need space on a regular basis. There are plenty of growing pains and attitude adjustments (mine included) that need to be worked out daily. But we’ve made it this far and I’m so proud of us.