There's nothing like a gathering of close friends to refresh and strengthen us. Who are the people who restore you most? Take a minute to thank God for them.
Becoming a mama is an adventure in
of itself with the endless transition and figuring out how to make dinner with
a fussy baby and how get to and from Target in time for feedings, lest car
feedings occur and which is the best product for baby eczema and it is hard to
imagine going through it totally alone. Having wiser women who have been there
is a plus but there is something about having the comradery of the new mom
transition that makes it that much sweeter and less crazy.
When we found out we were pregnant with Penny,
our circle hardly included any one with children but within a few months, newer
friends joined the adventure and we were due within two months of each
other.
We bonded over conversations of pregnancy and how
many weeks along we were and all the developmental stages that came with them
and different things we had read about labor. We talked about our OBGYNs and
how the birthing process works and which hospital would be the one.
I gave birth to Penny in June and Luuk arrived
seven weeks later and Gavin entered the world at the end of August, merely four
weeks after.
And just like that, we started navigating our new
roles as Mamas, leaving our jobs and figuring out what life now looked like. We
exchanged stories of sleepless nights and products that were amazing or just
funny, like the pee pee teepees, and what was not working and everything in
between. I admired their baby's ability to take three hour naps and they took
note of Penny's early verbal skills.
We had play dates, when our schedules and naptimes
aligned. And the babies grew and we learned and laughed and wondered if we
would ever get sleep again. And in the blink of an eye, they out grew nursing
and bottles and diapers, giving us opinions and word in return.
We learned a lot about ourselves and what it means
to care for another, who cannot care for themselves and that the only thing
that is predictable is change. Once we got something down, they started
crawling or getting another tooth or learned to walk and what worked before was
no longer helpful. Tips and tricks of things we read in parenting books or
online from the experts have been
passed around and tried out for what they are worth. And all along the
way, we were there for sounding boards and prayers and life.
And as our babies have grown, so has our circle
of mama friends. New ones have joined and others have since left, leaving
memories and taking parts of our hearts. Play dates are pure chaos and coffee
these days, as they play alongside siblings, who graced us with their presence
in a similar fashion a second time, as well.
And for them I am ever thankful, along with all
the other sweet mamas who have become part of the network of play dates and
park friends and library goers. Mamahood would not be as fun without you and
yours.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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This is part of a 365 day blogging series through Savor by Shauna Niequist. If you would like to blog along, whether daily or weekly, I would love to have you for the journey; be sure to link back to the post. And if you are not a blogger, you can join along, too. Just leave your response and answers in the comments.