5 minute friday – where we all write for 5 minutes flat with no edits on the 1 word prompt from mrs. Lisa Jo Baker. This week’s word is CHERISHED. Click the image below to read more 5 minute posts and/or to join in the fun yourself!
5 minutes…. GO
First baby – Every one tells me to “cherish every moment” and “enjoy it all” etc. etc. I wonder if there is something wrong with me. I don’t enjoy getting puked on. I don’t like getting up 5 times a night to feed the baby or rocking him for hours in the middle of the night. I don’t cherish every last second I’m with my son. I must be the worst mother ever!
As time went on I stopped feeling so guilty for not cherishing everything. I adore my son and love being with him, but hey, there are some things that are just not that enjoyable (being pooped on, for example).
Then along comes baby number two – things change. Life starts FLYING by. One minute my son is saying a word here and there, the next he’s using full sentences. My daughter is a newborn and can barely move herself, I blink and now she’s sitting and has a mind and personality of her own!
Maybe it’s because life is more chaotic with two. Maybe it’s because I’ve been through this all before, or because I know the Princess is (probably) my last baby, but life is going by fast. And I’m learning to cherish more. I’m starting to see why all the more seasoned moms look back on these years and miss them. Yes, it’s exhausting and I’m counting the days until I’ll be able to sleep through the night semi-consistently again. But it’s lovely. My babies are crazy, and time consuming and so beautiful. I can see that more clearly than ever before. It’s not that I didn’t cherish moments with my son before, and it’s not that I literally adore every moment with my kids now (still not a fan of the puke and poo, or tantrums for that matter), but I’m able to see the blessings through it. I’m able to see the beautiful gift that God has given the world in the form of my two little babies with two HUGE personalities.
STOP
2 pictures that I’ve been comparing lately, to show just how fast time is flying…
Yup, my hair is crazy and the mirror is dirty. That’s just how I roll.
Amber says
Paula, I popped over here from FMF, and I’ve gotta tell you, girl – I just love this. I smiled at how honest you are (something I always find so refreshing and brave), and also at the end, at how you embrace imperfection. Without apology. How inspiring and freeing that is, friend! Thank you for these words.
AnnaC says
So sweet.
Bethany says
I hear you. With two now myself, I can’t believe how fast it’s going, even though the napless days and sleepless nights still feel so long. Sometimes we just need to choose to cherish the beauty even in the chaos. I have to daily choose to cherish my children, it doesn’t always happen on its own. I may not like cleaning up spit up, but I cherish my son. I hate dealing with tantrums, but I still cherish my daughter. Or at least I strive to.
Ali C. says
I’m on number one right now, already counting the days until sleep is more than a dream and secretly dreading starting all over when we go for number two. This was the best of reminders this morning to stop wishing away these precious days with just my little girlie. But I’m glad someone else out there is admitting that the sleepless nights and the poop aren’t all that awesome. :)
Shay says
How sweet! :)
Heather says
I think some of the gift of being able to enjoy the moments with your youngest just comes from being a little bit older, knowing with a more discerning heart what is really important. Blessings as you enjoy today!
Laura says
Those pictures tell the story, don’t they? This week we celebrate birthday #14 for my baby and #16 for his brother. Yes, time flies! For me, cherishing each moment means to be fully present where I am. Still working on this.
Alicia@the Overflow! says
So glad I “found” you through Laura’s link! I love your honesty here. It IS hard to cherish every moment- but the gift of perspective is just that, isn’t it- a gift. I barely remember my firstborn’s newborn year- just felt like I was trying to survive and drowning in guilt for not loving every minute. And now he’s fourteen and I’m fighting to truly SEE him and savor him. It seems I was able to slow and savor the time more and more with each child I was given. Number five is playing at my feet right now and I feel like my moments with her a gift. I guess God knew I was a slow learner- it took a handful of kids to teach me this lesson (and a dozen years in the “diaper pail” stage of life!) Blessings to you as you treasure these days.
Jen Ferguson says
You look beautiful with your baby!!
Carrie says
God has been showing me this exact same lesson over the past month. With a newborn in the house as well as an almost 5-year-old and 3-year-old I know how quickly children grow and I want to enjoy each stage instead of wishing for the next one.
Thanks for this reminder!
Elisha says
Love this post so much! The pictures are adorable too.
Shell says
I think it’s impossible to cherish every moment. Some moments are just rough.
Tricia says
I so know what you mean. My little guy just turned 3 months and I feel like I’ve been living in a constant film of poop and puke since his birth. Ick! But, like you say, with two everything is more chaotic and busy and beautiful and I’m enjoying as much of this time as I can (in between constant changes of clothes, that is).
Star says
Visiting from Company Girls!
I felt the same way for so long…in the midst of babies and toddlers and chaos and sleeplessness, it is HARD to cherish. I don’t even think I realized how much I didn’t believe all of them until recently…my oldest will be 16 in 3 months. 16!!! He is 3 months away from having his driver’s license, 3 months from being able to get a “real” job. 3 months from a major step in independence…and all I can think of is, it was just yesterday that he was running down the hall trying to jump high enough to jump over the couch. It feels like five minutes ago, I was holding him and consoling him after his umpteenth ear infection…how can that baby be 16, how can we be thinking about ACT’s and colleges and majors and leaving home? At the time, I didn’t cherish those moments, but now, oh how I wish I had!
Blessings to you, have a great weekend!