Clocks and Calendars...

Children really do grow up fast. I can't say that I believed it when people told me, but it really is true. I am two weeks away from Esther's nine month birthday and I am shocked by how quickly time flew.

9 months ago, I was wondering when she would arrive.

I was walking around non-stop in hopes of inducing labor (even though I had two weeks until her due date).

I was begging my husband to complete the nursery, so I felt more settled about her arrival, and I was beginning to contemplate when I would go on maternity leave.

I was fretting about possibly having a 10 plus pound baby and hoping I wouldn't go to 41 weeks.

I wasn't so sure I was ready for motherhood at that point.

8 1/2 months ago, she finally arrived - two days past her due date. She came unexpectedly, but took her time once she decided it was time to greet the world. I labored for 18+ hours, three of which were spent pushing. I enjoyed labor, appreciating how feminine and empowered it made me feel, but I really enjoyed the moment she burst in the world (literally) and was placed on my chest that first time.

She was smaller than I expected, although admittedly bigger than the average baby (8 lbs, 13 oz), and she was beautiful. We immediately connected, although I soon discovered that being a mother was a lot more difficult than I anticipated.

There was so much learning that took place in those early weeks. I had to learn to nurse, my husband and I had to learn to respond to her needs, and we had to learn what worked best for our family. We somehow managed to figure it out and it was not long before we became confident in our ability to parent our child. Through it all, we loved our daughter and how much she relied on us. She was so tiny and sweet.

It was not long, though, before she developed a sense of independence and wanted to see things and move. Every month she pushed herself more and more until the current time where she is constantly on the move!

I thought I'd have months on end to enjoy her infancy, but it has gone by so quickly that I feel like I missed out on so much.

Still, I love the little person she has become. I have to say that I really enjoy this stage. She hugs me and cuddles me in between activities. She's excited about every little thing, from the fish at the pet store to the new food she is trying. She lights up when she sees me and plays hard with her daddy.

I love her so much!

The moral of the story is this: enjoy every stage while you can!