A New Love

Everyone will tell you that when you have a child it’s a love different than you’ll ever know. People told me that when I was pregnant and, honestly, I didn’t know what they were talking about. How could the love that I feel for my husband or my family be totally different than the love I would have for my daughter? How could it “feel” different?

Right after Sophie was born I couldn’t help but love this little person I didn’t know. It’s bizarre that this tiny little being that took up residence in the Anderson household filled my heart and I’d barely met her. I carried her for nine months, but it was the beginning.

It’s almost been four months and I’ve gotten to know the little princess that grew in my belly last year. In just four, short months I know that she will be independent, have a little fire in her personality, and she makes my heart melt when her smile turns her eyes to sparkling, blue half-moons.

And even though she spits up on me at least twice a day (seven times today!!), wakes up five times during the night for no apparent reason, cries when I’m not holding her, and makes explosive little presents for me to change several times a day, I love her more than I can explain.

And even though I have random, severe chest pains since I’ve given birth, I’m tired most of the time, I don’t have any time for me anymore, and I’ve recently learned of another “condition” I have due to the birth of the little bean, I would do it all over again just to have her in my life.

My house looks like Babies R Us exploded in it most of the time. I have words in my vocabulary that I didn’t know existed just a few short months ago. Instead of the morning Starbucks mocha, the 20-minute shower, and the opportunity to blog whenever I want to, things like the “Bumbo”, “activity gym”, and “Boppy” are the new daily necessities. But I wouldn’t change anything.

Even though I miss curling up with a book in the quiet of my home and being able to shop without considering the feeding schedule of a four-month-old, those are small luxuries to give up compared to the warmth brought into my life from my baby girl.

This new love in my life is definitely a love that I’ve never known.