Dear friends,
Thank you so much for all of your love, support, prayers, advice, baby supply loans, and offers for baby sitting over the past few months. A difficult pregnancy followed by a colicky baby really wore me down, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have tried to thank you each individually over the past several months, but I really feel like I can't thank you all enough.
Thank you to everyone who visited me in the hospital. I was scared (which you could probably tell by my frequent blogging that I was using to sort through my feelings), I was bored (2 weeks in the hospital is a long time), and I needed love, comfort, and reprieves from hospital food. Thank you for all of you who attended my baby shower in the hospital conference room. It was unconventional, and will be a special memory that I hold onto for the rest of my life.
Thank you to all of our wonderful friends, family, and neighbors who provided us food during the weeks after Gwen was born. It was all delicious, and I still need to get some recipes from some of you! I know it can be challenging cooking for vegetarians, but you all rose to the challenge and filled our bellies with tasty food. It was so nice not having to worry about cooking dinner and being able to cuddle our little girl with that time (or sometimes take a nap or shower).
Thank you to everyone who has let us borrow baby clothes and gear. Having a baby is expensive, and your generosity allowed us to save money in some areas, try baby products before buying to see if we really need them (and in many cases the answer is yes), and try other styles of parenting (while I was against co-sleeping when Gwen was born, I had to do it out of necessity and now I love it so much that when she can't use the arm's reach co-sleeper anymore I will be moving her into our bed).
I have reached out to many of you over the past several weeks when I have felt weary and weak, and when I've wondered if I just was not cut out for parenting. Your willingness to help out with watching Gwen and with chores has touched my heart. Without actually accepting the help (not because it isn't appreciated, but because it has not been practical for Gwen's stage of development, etc), the amazing offers have recharged me in a way that I would have never expected. I was surprised to discover how knowing that help is available is sometimes as helpful emotionally as a physical reprieve from efforts.
I have also appreciated the reassurances. It is amazing to see how far I have come in parenting in just 3 months (having never been around babies before, I had quite a bit to learn quickly...former college dinner buddies - remember the time I almost gave Evelyn a ring to play with because she looked like she wanted it? Well, I have not given Gwen any choking hazards, and have learned many other lessons over the past months). While I have come a long way, I still have doubts in my abilities and knowledge. By talking to you and getting reading suggestions (The Fussy Baby Book by William and Martha Sears) I realize that my baby's temperament is not my fault. It is not her fault either. I didn't break her. She came this way. She has high needs and it is my job as a parent to meet those needs. My intuition for how to care for her is correct. I'm not going to spoil her. She is not manipulating me. I am going to reject the judgement of the nay sayers who would tell me to set my child down and stop feeding her so often, and I'm going to continue parenting her to the best of my abilities.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Sara
Thank you so much for all of your love, support, prayers, advice, baby supply loans, and offers for baby sitting over the past few months. A difficult pregnancy followed by a colicky baby really wore me down, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have tried to thank you each individually over the past several months, but I really feel like I can't thank you all enough.
Thank you to everyone who visited me in the hospital. I was scared (which you could probably tell by my frequent blogging that I was using to sort through my feelings), I was bored (2 weeks in the hospital is a long time), and I needed love, comfort, and reprieves from hospital food. Thank you for all of you who attended my baby shower in the hospital conference room. It was unconventional, and will be a special memory that I hold onto for the rest of my life.
Thank you to all of our wonderful friends, family, and neighbors who provided us food during the weeks after Gwen was born. It was all delicious, and I still need to get some recipes from some of you! I know it can be challenging cooking for vegetarians, but you all rose to the challenge and filled our bellies with tasty food. It was so nice not having to worry about cooking dinner and being able to cuddle our little girl with that time (or sometimes take a nap or shower).
Thank you to everyone who has let us borrow baby clothes and gear. Having a baby is expensive, and your generosity allowed us to save money in some areas, try baby products before buying to see if we really need them (and in many cases the answer is yes), and try other styles of parenting (while I was against co-sleeping when Gwen was born, I had to do it out of necessity and now I love it so much that when she can't use the arm's reach co-sleeper anymore I will be moving her into our bed).
I have reached out to many of you over the past several weeks when I have felt weary and weak, and when I've wondered if I just was not cut out for parenting. Your willingness to help out with watching Gwen and with chores has touched my heart. Without actually accepting the help (not because it isn't appreciated, but because it has not been practical for Gwen's stage of development, etc), the amazing offers have recharged me in a way that I would have never expected. I was surprised to discover how knowing that help is available is sometimes as helpful emotionally as a physical reprieve from efforts.
I have also appreciated the reassurances. It is amazing to see how far I have come in parenting in just 3 months (having never been around babies before, I had quite a bit to learn quickly...former college dinner buddies - remember the time I almost gave Evelyn a ring to play with because she looked like she wanted it? Well, I have not given Gwen any choking hazards, and have learned many other lessons over the past months). While I have come a long way, I still have doubts in my abilities and knowledge. By talking to you and getting reading suggestions (The Fussy Baby Book by William and Martha Sears) I realize that my baby's temperament is not my fault. It is not her fault either. I didn't break her. She came this way. She has high needs and it is my job as a parent to meet those needs. My intuition for how to care for her is correct. I'm not going to spoil her. She is not manipulating me. I am going to reject the judgement of the nay sayers who would tell me to set my child down and stop feeding her so often, and I'm going to continue parenting her to the best of my abilities.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Sara
