Recently, I was reflecting on my first weeks of pregnancy, and remembering the thoughts and fears that flooded my mind when I realized that I was actually going to have a baby. They went something like this: How will I know what I need for a baby? How will I know how to use all that stuff that comes with a baby? What do I do with said baby after we bring him home from the hospital? How will I know what to dress him in? How will I survive on such little sleep? So many questions, so many unknowns, as we set out toward a foreign new land...parenthood.
And here we are, Benjamin is now 2 months old as of this week. And though we are still learning so much about him, given that he changes so quickly, the heaping pile of questions seemed to have answered themselves. We figured things out. By talking to other parents, by reading books, by googling the heck out of every question we had, we learned and we adapted. With the help of friends, we figured out what to register for. We quickly then figured out what to return, what we needed, and what we didn't need. We learned which pacifiers Ben does and does not like, which outfits he's too hot in, and which swaddle blankets he can bust out of in under 10 seconds! We learned by trying, by doing, and by making mistakes.
I am continually amazed that God gave us minds, bodies, and hearts that can encounter a new and foreign situation and turn it into a familiar one. Now, I feel like I could change a diaper with my eyes closed. Two months ago, I was fumbling around trying to remember which end goes in front and trying to figure out how to prevent the little fountain from spraying all over, if you know what I mean. Though I expect the learning to be life-long, it is rewarding to reflect on how much I've already learned about the mommyhood, some things the easy way and some the hard way. And with each foreign territory that becomes familiar, I find my courage growing along with my desire to take on the next challenge! And the next challenge is...camping with a 2 month old and it starts tomorrow! Here goes nothing...and everything!
