It’s been the fastest 11 weeks of my life. It’s so cliché when people say, “enjoy them because it flies by” but it truly does. Audrey will be 11 weeks tomorrow and I head back to work then too. I got 12 weeks off for maternity leave but since the little booger decided to come late, I only spent 11 weeks with her. Eleven weeks is not enough time. My heart breaks for moms who have to go back in six.
If I were to say motherhood was easy, I’d be lying. At times, it’s not fun, it’s exhausting, and it’s downright hard. But it’s worth it. It’s worth every tear I’ve cried and every prayer said. I wouldn’t trade a single sleepless night for anything. This little girl is my world. I’m in absolute awe of her. In the first month of her life, I had a little bit of the “baby blues.” But I mostly cried because of the overwhelming feeling of love I had for this little baby. She’s a miracle from God. She’s an answered prayer. She is so loved.
Audrey sleeps right beside our bed and when I hear her rustling awake every morning, I grab my glasses and greet her with a pretty obnoxious “Good morning!” And the smile she gives me melts my heart. When Darren gets home from work and she hears his voice, she smiles a huge smile just for her daddy. Watching her grow is bittersweet. I want her to stay little forever. But I also cannot wait to watch her grow and to see her little personality develop. I already know she’s a daddy’s girl and has her daddy wrapped around her finger!
Audrey gave us a pretty good scare when she was 3 weeks, almost 4 weeks old. She came down with a cold which turned into RSV and bronchiolitis. She was in the PICU for 3 nights and spent 1 night on the pediatric floor. In the PICU, she was hooked up to an IV, oxygen, and a feeding tube. Watching my newborn struggle to breathe was the most gut-wrenching moment of my life. When the doctors told me they were admitting her, I lost it. I would have done anything to take her place. She made it out unscathed and we are vowing never to make a trip like that again!
Audrey is now a chunky, happy (for the most part), always hungry 11 weeker. She loves bath time and eating (which is now 6oz every 3 hours). She has the chubbiest cheeks! At bath time, I’ve been keeping an eye on the rolls on her arms and legs. She eats every 3 hours and she is sure to let us know when time is up. Audrey is now sleeping through the night. She’ll go for 10-12 hours stretches!! We do fall into a little sleep regression every now and then but with a little patience, we bounce back into good sleep. She has been boycotting naps during the day. She only sleeps well when she is in someone’s arms. I may or may not have something to do with that rottenness. We’ve recently learned that Audrey likes to be bathed and fed by 8 and she’s just about ready for bed after that. She is not happy if she’s out past her bath time!
We see this face quite often!
Being a mom is so rewarding. I thank God every day that I didn’t give up. Darren and I are so lucky that God chose us to be her parents. Our hearts are overwhelmed with so much love for her. I know raising her won’t always be easy or fun, but she’s so worth it.
bringing home baby hill 