Never have I felt more excitement and sheer happiness than the moment my daughter, Colby, was born. But there was also a moment of sheer panic. I will never forget when the doctor handed her to me and I said, “But I don’t know how to hold a baby”. Her response? “You’ll figure it out”.
Little did I know I would figure out so many different things in the past eight weeks. How to hold a baby, how to change a diaper (in record time, I might add!), how to survive on limited sleep in a way I haven’t had to since cramming for finals in college, how to buckle a baby into a car seat, how to maneuver a pacifier to Colby when she is crying in the carpool line, and countless other skills. Many of these skills were taught to me by an amazing husband who quite honestly may have missed his calling as a nanny.
Maybe most importantly, I have been reminded that I will never truly have it all figured out. And that is ok. Because I want my daughter to see that life is always about learning new things and that the more she knows, the more she has to learn. It is ok for her to see me struggle with the five point harness and get frustrated over the snaps on her onesies. Do I have my child on a schedule? No. Have I figured out the way to get Colby to sleep through the night? Not even close. But Colby also gets to see me celebrate the little victories when I manage to get her to a doctor’s appointment on time and get her to settle quietly into her crib. I want her to be up for challenges and not expect perfection the first time she tries something new.
I know that the future holds many more skills to figure out as a parent. Some will come easily and some will be tough. But through all of these learning experiences, I hope to show Colby that it is ok to struggle, and it is ok to celebrate even the smallest of victories along the way.
As these are my first days back after Colby’s arrival, I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank each of you for sharing in our excitement. Trinity truly is a part of my family, and I am deeply grateful for your friendship and support. And if any of you can help me figure out how to teach a baby to sleep through the night, I will take your carpool duty for the rest of the year.
Kristin,
First and foremost, Colby is gorgeous and fortunate to have a mom like you. In the world of teaching and parenting, “figuring it all out” is part of the process. Some things come naturally without any thought or planning. Others, though, require assistance through people or books or trial and error. In the end, figuring it all out provides the opportunity to grow and adapt – right along with Colby.
Welcome to the “You’ll Figure It Out Club!” Even for those of us who consider ourselves the consummate planners with routines and schedules mastered (blah blah blah), parenting is the one area where we all join together in utter joy and terror! First-time parenting is probably the more extreme of this adventure, but know that you join a distinguished group of people who are all willing to stand beside you, commiserate, brainstorm, hug, and cry!
Ha! Maybe you’ll find a Trinity baby whisperer who can help Colby sleep, but more likely, she’ll just do it when she’s ready. Mom to mom, I can tell you that you’ll keep figuring it out as you go, no matter how old Colby gets. Moms at Trinity who have children much older than mine will probably tell you the same thing. As my children get older, I have started to realize that I will never stop worrying about them, and that every stage brings a new challenge. You WILL figure it out because that what parents do. I’m so happy for you and Jay, sweet Colby, and your whole family!