May 19, 1997, was the day that we welcomed our first child into the world. A boy! (I would love to share pictures with you, but I seem to be having scanner issues.) He was perfect in every way. There was no huge fanfare. My mom and my youngest three brothers (5, 9, and 11 at the time) were on their way from Idaho - but Clayton was a week early. We didn't have many close friends yet, but enjoyed a few visitors at the hospital.
I had heard of moms going home from the hospital the next morning or even in twelve hours - or sometimes six. Not me. I was enjoying being taken care of. I was a little afraid. I wasn't so afraid of taking care of a baby. I had done a lot of that with my brothers. But I didn't know how to take care of me.
I didn't expect the painful contractions while nursing. I didn't know how bad the episiotomy would hurt. I couldn't have predicted how vulnerable or emotional I would feel. It was nice to have nurses checking on me and making sure I was o.k. Truth was, I'd been alone in my apartment most of the time for the last month.
Besides that, I was really enjoying the little cocoon of our hospital room where my full-time student + full-time chaplain husband was in my captivity for a couple of days. It was a precious bonding time for our little family.
Bill took a week off, and we brought our little bundle of joy home in his brightly colored, gender-neutral car seat, to his gender neutral bedroom...for see we wanted to be surprised at what we were having. My mom and brothers came to visit. My aunt and cousins came to visit...then my dad flew in. It was really fun for a while. I had someone to help with Clayton when he fussed in the middle of the night....someone to help cook...and always someone to talk to. AND I was no longer laying on my left side all day.
Soon, everyone went home. Bill went back to work. Everything went quiet again....except at 1 a.m.....and 3 a.m.....and 4:30 a.m.
May 31, 1997 (or close thereabouts), I realized my need for quality sleep.
The nice thing about being a stay at home mom with one child is that you can adjust your schedule as needed. I learned to sleep when Clayton slept and shower when I could. It was nice having a job where I could play with a baby all day and call it work.
I learned that I didn't have to read my Bible first thing in the morning. In fact, I'm not sure I saw "first thing in the morning" for a few months. I learned that God was eager to meet with me whatever time I came with an eager heart. I learned that prayer time is great while pushing a stroller, and that it was just as fun to sing praises with a baby as it was by myself.
But boy, did I have a lot left to learn!
What about you? What did you learn about yourself in the first couple of weeks of being a new mom? What did you learn about your relationship with God?
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