One of my dearest friends is about to have a baby. This extra-special thing is particularly wonderful because there was a time, a long time, where we didn’t know if it would be possible for this amazing mum-in-waiting to have a child.
So I wanted to take a few moments to share what little it is that I have picked up over these last three years or so that I have been lucky enough to have my little, gorgeous baby-girl in my life.
To my darling, S – this is for you. And to my lovely husband who made it possible for me to be able to write this, thank you too!
You will swear, a lot
You will probably say ‘I can’t do this’
You will most likely have some story about how your other half felt useless through the entire birth but that you didn’t care because he was the last person you wanted to leave the room even for a second
You may remember what the medical professionals said to you but you probably won’t
The drugs (if you have them) may make you giggle, throw up and/or fancy just about everyone who walks in the room
You may wonder why you ever made a birthing plan
You WILL forget whatever physical pain you go through to deliver your child
You will never tire of remembering how your baby came into the world
You will forget any of the neutral coloured clothes you bought before the birth the moment your child is born
You will feel an odd mix of excitement and fear when you bring your baby home
You will lose sleep but you won’t care and in a few months’ time you’ll say “It wasn’t that bad, was it?!”
You will hopefully realise that there are more important things in life than ironing
You will KNOW that yours is without question the most amazing child that ever walked the earth
You will wonder at every single thing they do and how much cleverer they are than any other child
You will simply melt the first time they smile
You won’t be able to watch the news or read the papers in the same way ever again
What you lose in spontaneity you will make up for in anticipation
You will wish you were physically closer to your family
You will really start to know what family is
Christmas will take on a new lease of life
You will look at those childlike scribbles and think DaVinci himself could have done no better
You will fight with your other half about which football team they will support and be secretly be delighted when they seem to support the one you like best
You will become encyclopaedic in your knowledge of children’s TV characters
You will read the same bedtime story every night for three weeks
There will be times when you will be required to be a ‘horsey’ and the living room will be your paddock
You will wonder if it’s ok to buy anything that isn’t organic then remember that you used to eat jam sandwiches
You will wonder how you can ever leave your precious cargo alone with someone else, even for a second
You will be glad when you do and even gladder to get them back
You will drive your car more carefully when they are in it with you
You will remember everything your parents ever said to you and for the first time really understand why they said it
You will laugh
You will cry
You will never be the same again
And you will love it!
Jec
x
