It’s hard to believe that it has already been 15 days since Jacob arrived into our lives.
It seems like just yesterday. It also seems like ten years ago. Undoubtedly, both feelings result from the weird time warp effect that sleeping in two hour increments has on the human mind. (Almost as weird as the warping effect it has on a new momma’s face.)
When I think back over the last two weeks, I realize I have triumphed—okay, survived—some of the toughest moments I’ll ever experience. (Knock on wood.) My personal favorite: staying stuck in the transition phase of labor at 9 centimeters for four hours without so much as a Tylenol before finally pushing him out after 24+ hours of labor. My second favorite: Eating hospital food for three meals a day without complaining … much.
There have been more than a few trying moments in the last two weeks, but one of the hardest things has been seeing firsthand how quickly life with a little one passes. While part of me can’t wait to watch him grow, the other part of me wishes I could freeze his sweet, snuggly self at this stage forever.
Knowing now how real the truism, “They grow up too fast,” makes me determined to soak up every second, every smile—even if it’s just from gas— and every sweet, hilarious cry. (By the way, his cry sounds exactly like an old-fashioned fire truck siren. It’s so cute that I’m sometimes tempted to let him keep crying just so I can hear it. I don’t … often.)
A plaque that hangs on the wall next to Jacob’s crib reminds me to appreciate every moment I have with him. I gave the poem-bearing plaque to my mom as a Mother’s Day present when I was four years old. She thoughtfully passed it back to me at my baby shower. It took two decades and having my own baby to realize how bittersweet the words are to a mom.
They read like this: “So quickly grown, so very dear, enjoy the wonder of each year. Before you know it, childhood’s passed, cherish each moment while they last.”
For the past 15 days, l have been doing just that, and I intend to keep on for the next 18 years. And, speaking of savoring every moment, I didn’t mind cradling him in one arm and typing this with the other for a few minutes, but I think it’s about time for a real two-handed snuggle.
