I have given birth to five babies in less than five years, and yet each one is a unique, life-changing experience for me.
The first baby was chapter one of an unread book. Every day of pregnancy was a mystery; the birth was traumatic and when we arrived home from the hospital my goal was to resume life as normal as soon as possible.
Jump ahead to chapter five: the plot is now familiar with unexpected twists and turns here and there but I’ve since learned that the objective is to linger, not rush ahead. I study the tiny newborn features longingly, hoping that staring will slow down the change.
Each baby is a rebirth for me and our family. We can relive all of the firsts, all of the wonder, and the acquaintance of an undiscovered personality. And with the newness is a familiarity that allows us to savor a bit more.
I’m not agonizing over sleep schedules or frantic about crying spells. Those will resolve in time. I’m snuggling more and savoring the these early days of rest and recovery. And when my strength had returned am I going to rush life back to normal?
It’s going to be a new normal of longer conversations, more reading, slower walks, spontaneous play times and intentional family time. My recovery period has allowed me to step back, observe and internalize my purpose; watching my children with their grandparents and discovering how much I miss the daily care of home and family has opened my heart to the purpose I crave.
I didn’t realize how much I have still been seeking my way in life but these newborn days have helped me find it.
weeklythoughtexchange 
Wishing you endless blessings as you celebrate this family time with your new little bundle of joy! You are so wise…these days do not return, so the time is now for making memories that will last a lifetime. My mom used to tell me when my babies were little that everything else can wait…she was right. The special thing is all of you just being together: another little miracle has come into your life and nothing is more important than this gift of life sent from God Himself. (If you do get a moment here and there, record these times as best you can. Later, it might be a book of baby days or whatever! You have so much to share with other moms.)
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Oh yes! I record just about everything either in photo books, blog posts or my journal. My main dilemma is maintaining outside relationships while keeping family first. Any tips? I try to share my thoughts and experiences in writing as a way to keep in touch with friends and family.
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I did make time for ‘play dates’ with the kids when they were little. The moms, or a dad, could talk and the kids entertained one another. I had four children, but they were further apart in ages than yours are. You have a play group all on your own! It is very good to actually spend time with friends and I have always done that.You do have a full house, and yes, family comes first, but friendships are the gifts we give ourselves and they are important. In little ways, find pockets of time for your friendships…you will find renewed energy for your family in the same way that writing feeds your soul. If you could pull it off and your husband could mind the kids, you could host a book club with friends over at each other’s houses…once a month, or whenever!
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I like these ideas! Thank you for sharing them! Writing definitely feeds my soul and I know my friendships do the same.
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You almost 🙂 Almost make me wish for a newborn 🙂 🙂 I love your post, because I can snuggle with you
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