On having a baby, or being a mother- or just being sentimental

My daughter and I- she's less than an hour old here

A new nephew was born into my family yesterday, and it's got me all clucky.  I already got to see pictures of him as well as see him on skype, and lord is he cute!  He's is also going to live in Vientiane, and his parents work at the school where my husband will work.  That means Beni and I will get to spend time with him during the day sometimes, and, of course, we'll all get to hang out when we want.  We're all pretty excited about it!


Seeing my sister-in-law holding that sweet little, well, not that little (9lbs2oz!), bundle just made me remember how amazing it all was!

Me, hand still on belly, not quite registering
that everything is different now!

I remember sitting in the hospital bed a few hours after Beni was born- I had already had a shower, I had eaten and we had some visitors.  Beni was passed out and being passed around and my friends wanted to hear how the whole birth went down- we were all just hanging out.  But I remember that feeling of not quite being able to get over that I HAD A BABY.  It's such an amazing miracle how it all happens... from start to finish, conception to birth...it's so hard to imagine all the little things that come together and happen in all the right order at the right time and then a little person comes out!  And the person is your responsibility.  And you have the honor of taking care of them and loving them and *sigh* it's just so wonderful!

There is the moment when the baby is born that you just want to take him/her in your arms and cuddle and never let go and everything feels perfect.  But I think a few hours later some people (me!) have a moment like,"Holy cow, did that really happen???  Am I a MOTHER now?" It's like, just in that split second EVERYTHING changes!

Still these days, as we get alarmingly close to Beni's first birthday, I am sometimes overcome by what a treasure she is, and how amazing it is that she made it into our lives.  Last night she slept really well (she has not been lately), but I had to go in once, maybe an hour after she went down, to rock her back to sleep.  She has finally hit that age where she will relax against me again, put her head on my shoulder and let herself drift off in the safety of my arms.  I just held her and in that moment couldn't get over that this little person is my daughter, just how amazing she is and that she is part of my life forever.  I am still blessed with the responsibility to take care of her and love her forever.  I know it won't always be easy- some days it already isn't.  I am so thankful for those moments in the night (that is when they most often occur for us) when I am just overwhelmingly aware of how wonderful being a mother is.

My best friend has said to me many times before that being a mother is the best thing that has ever happened to her.  I know what she means.

Tell me I'm not the only one who is such a sentimental sook- what are the moments in your life that make you stop and just breathe in your baby and thank all that is good that you have them in your life?