The thing about Motherhood...

I was thinking today as I was washing dishes and realized that absolutely nothing about this walk through motherhood has been as I anticipated. Here's why:

1: I thought I would have an uneventful and normal pregnancy w/o any complications whatsoever.

Well, what I got was the scare of a lifetime at 19 weeks when our OB told us that there was possibly something wrong with Izzy's heart and brain. Thank the Lord above, they were wrong!! Then, at about 26 weeks they discovered that I had Oligohydramnios. This is a condition of having too little amniotic fluid. Thankfully again, the Lord was on our side and everything was okay. Only had to go for weekly non-stress testing and ultrasounds. Needless to say, we have lots of ultrasound pics!!!

2: I thought I would have a normal labor. You know the one that hurts really bad, but is over in a normal amount of time.

Think again.... No, not me! What I got was 3 days of inconsitant labor, back labor, then an epidural that didn't really work. And to you who call it false labor...well, you are crazy. The first contraction I felt was just as bad as the last one I felt. Lol! Only me!!!!! Like they say though, you really do forget about it....and she really was so precious that I would do it over again a million times to have her. :o)

3. Thought I would have a precious little baby that slept, ate and pooped. Isn't that what babies do?

Well, not mine. She pooped like she was supposed to, minus some scary bloody stools at 3 months old. The eating and sleeping didn't turn out the same. We had to swaddle the kid for 7 months just to get her to sleep. Praise those Halo people. You know, the ones that make the swaddle sleep sacks. Well, anyway....Martin and I can still count on one hand how many times this girl has slept all night w/o waking up. 5, yeah 5. But, we can say that have to use 2 hands when she does it again. Oh, and I forgot the reflux. Yuck! Which, by the way, she still does on occasion. Yep, you read it right...sometimes she still has that nasty currdled milk running down her chin look. Poor kid!

Then, the eating.... Oh, what I story I have to tell about this one day. It started out great. Nursing like a pro from the very first time. Then, at 6 months she decided that that was enough. Cold Turkey. "No more of that please!" is what she said. I thought that was the worst thing ever. Then, here we are 20 months later and still trying to get the kid to eat table food. Makes the cold turkey nursing game seem great. Some days it works with the eatin, some days it doesn't. Some weeks it works, some it doesn't. Though, she has been doing GREAT this week. She has eaten like I have never seen her eat before!!!! Actually, she had a tantrum last weekend b/c a pan of veggies was too hot to eat. That was the most beautiful tantrum I have ever seen. :o)

And the best is for last:

4. I thought that I would love her...you know, just love her like every first time mom probably imagines doing:

Oh, do I ever love her. I love her more and more everyday. It amazes me! I thought that I loved her as much as I would when she was growing inside of me. I truly didn't think I would ever love her anymore than I did then. Truly though, each day and each second I love her more and more.

Despite all of the little struggles we have had, b/c the really are little struggles when you compare them to other people problems, she is the most delightful and likable toddler I have ever been around. She loves other kids and runs to give them hugs and kisses. She doesn't meet a stranger. She cries with all of her might when she is mad, but is also just as full life when she is happy (and that is most of the time). This kid lives and she lives to the fullest! Oh, do I ever love her......

And what have I learned? I have learned that life will not be as you expect it to be after you have kids. You have to learn to go with the flow. I have learned to let go of having control. I have learned that this is what I love and this is what I was born for!! I have learned to thank God for each day that he has given me to share with my beautiful little girl.....