Milestone Moments

Raising two babies has taught me many things. One of the things I have realized is that there are two types of milestone moments moms experience raising their kids, particularly in the first year of life. One is the kind we show off on social media and send to everyone we know. These are the proud mama moments. The others are the milestones that hit us like a ton of bricks and that we text our mama best friend about paired with a sobbing face emoji. These moments are slower and less defined, but still significant. The two are not diametrically opposed, but instead they complement one another; the sweet with the tart, the rainbow with the rain, the black with the white. The moments like this are too numerous to count and they are constant. Celebrating two pounds gained at the first month’s doctor visit then wiping away your own tears as you pack away the newborn clothes. Cheering the first night that they sleep through the night then realizing you haven’t had one of those sacred midnight snuggles in a month. Showing off the first time they sit up on their own but feeling real sadness that they don’t need you for that anymore. Posting the ceremonial “we have a walker!!” video on Facebook, then realizing you haven’t seen that adorable crawl in months and likely won’t ever again. It’s the newborn giggles turned into toddler laughs. It’s the first coos, first time using a spoon, first haircut moments. It’s the loss of the baby cheeks, the moment you can’t carry them for more thana few minutes anymore, and the single words that slip into sentences before you even notice moments. All of these moments add up to one crazy amazing life and they add up to proof that you are indeed doing something right because the adorable little snuggly lump you gave birth to is now doing things that real humans do all on their own. It certainly doesn’t make those hit-you-like-a-ton-of-bricks moments any easier. Motherhood is gorgeous and hard and fun and trying and all kinds of things that seem like they shouldn’t go together. These milestone moments are no different, but it sure makes for a memorable ride