FIRST BIRTHDAY!!

We celebrated early, because we are insanely busy the rest of the month as I’m sure our friends and family are as well.. he’s 1 on the 20th, we celebrated yesterday afternoon. So. Much. Fun. He LOVED his cake, I had to shove his hand in to show him the good stuff and he went to town!! Then got jealous of everyone eating their cupcakes so had to have one of those too. Later in the evening his nonna was eating some cake and giving him bites of frosting and he would literally dance after every single bite!! It was the CUTEST ever! Also putting him in his max costume for the smashing was BRILLIANT! I had done it because it was chilly outside but it worked out perfect cause I just wiped his hands and took it off and he was all clean in his freshly designed tshirt I made! He laughed and played and toddled around pulling me by my hand or my hood to show me things and had a good ol time, was mostly in good spirits especially considering he didn’t sleep but five hours the night before and only took a 30 min nap while i was wearing him. I am so blessed to be his mama 💞

The first year of motherhood

Is coming to a close.

How?!

10 things I’ve learned about motherhood so far

1) I can fucking do this. I thought it was impossible to do, let alone by myself. But here. I. Am. Full. circle. Alive, well, sanity in tact, and so freaking happy.

2) nothing. is. permanent. Literally, everything is a phase, the struggles, the highs, the lows, it all just flows in such a devastatingly beautiful unpredictable pattern.

3) Your guns are powerful, always stick to them. everyone has doubted me in one aspect or another. I’ve learned a lot about my gut this year and intuition has been invaluable.

4) Unconditional love IS real, it stares me in the face with two big beautiful blue eyes that and see every side of me yet love me SO fiercely.

5) The love only gets bigger, your heart keeps growing and then suddenly it’s running outside of your chest in the form of a tiny human who walks around like a newborn foal and seems to find every corner on every object with their head.

6) Go In with goals, but be prepared to improvise. Flexibility = sanity. Must I say more?

7) Take 5. Take 5 minutes to do something for yourself each day, be it some yoga, meditation, taking a breather, a face mask, workout, dance. whatever, do it. And don’t feel selfish for it. You cannot pour from an empty cup. self love IS essential.

8) NO ONE knows what they are doing. Seriously, we’re all just feeling around blindly trying to catch up to the next leap or regression or newest way of feeding or learning or whatever, gut instinct, it’s really a life saver here.

9) do what works for YOU. There is no guide on parenting because EVERY situation is unique; so do whatever it takes to get from A to B or the most sleep or whatever one size fits all is NOT a thing.

10) don’t lose sight of who you are, find ways to do the things you love while incorporating your baby into it! We do baby yoga often, it’s been my biggest compromise win, ha.

11) educate yourself!! There is so much knowledge and information out there, find reputable sources and DIG when you have questions, think critically.

12) I’d say don’t blink, but we all do. So take lots of pictures and print them too.

What have been your greatest lessons so far in motherhood?