I can’t wait till bub can roll over…I can’t wait until they can sit up…I can’t wait until they can crawl…sound familiar? I feel like my whole experience with my son has been a lot of ‘I can’t wait’s…I should have waited! I should have just enjoyed the time that he was immobile…because if I thought it was tough having a newborn – I was thrown a curveball when Hunter started crawling and walking. I know all the experienced mothers who may even have two or more kids are thinking ‘ha, just you wait, you have no idea’. I know, I know. I sometimes miss when Hunter couldn’t move off a mat because he hadn’t learnt how to roll…Does that make me a bad mum for saying I don’t cherish my son’s quick development? I don’t think so! I think I’d be lying if I didn’t say it. You might remember me talking about my anxiety being in overdrive with Hunter…well hello door that Hunter can now open leading to the balcony!
Looking back now, I honestly feel like the past 11 months have flown by! How did it go so quick? Wasn’t he just born like two days ago? each and every milestone I was so excited to see his next step – his latest developmental milestone. But I don’t think I truly appreciated him in each stage for just that. The baby who was not able to roll, the baby who needed me to help him sit, the baby who would perform the worm across the floor to reach a toy. I was in such a rush to hurry him up that I cant go back now! He is no longer that baby that I rocked to sleep breastfeeding. (Hunter has stopped breastfeeding now so this entire post may just be my hormonal reaction to this loss). When he started crawling – he was everywhere and apparently I gave birth to a baby hybrid octopus with 8 arms because all of our stuff was EVERYWHERE (Jackson might give me the eyebrows here as I am renowned for leaving half empty coffee cups everywhere). I go around the house while hes napping to find one of my crop tops in the toilet this morning and an old fluffy beanie in the bathtub. You’re probably wondering why I don’t keep a better eye on him. I swear I do but somehow…he still manages to get the job done.
Don’t get me wrong – he is so much fun! He plays and interacts with us more than ever before but I find myself wishing I could have my cake and eat it too. I want him to walk when I want him to walk and sit when I want him to sit. Errghh – now I’m making him sound like a dog! But I am sure you know what I mean. The biggest challenge in being a parent so far, aside from these stages, is having patience. Patience to not get cranky when he spills beef stroganoff all over the carpet, or cries EVERY time he gets out of the bath, or when he’s going through a separation anxiety phase and he’s a new brand of glad wrap attached to me constantly.
Of course my husband’s patience with Hunter could match that of Mother Theresa’s where I turn into the Hulk if I don’t get my one cup of coffee in the mornings without interruption. I wish I didn’t but I do. One word of advice to the mother’s with newborns, just wait. Just wait, don’t rush. I know you’ve heard all about stopping to smell the roses when it comes to babies but seriously – wait. Because before you know it they are grown up babies running into mischief before you can say oat cereal.
Patience is a virtue…I wish I had been more patient to just let him be a baby through each of his stages but of course the ‘I can’t wait until he can…” always popped up! I just hope to be much more patient with the next baby…Gee I can’t wait to have another baby…(ha!)
HUNNY MUMMY 