Posted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 12:45 PM
"Society will label my son as special needs,
but it is me who requires the extra time and education to reach my
milestones..."
Big plans
Four years ago, after five years of dating, I married the
man of my life. I was just starting my
new career in legal support after being laid off from a large, global
pharmaceutical company. I was moving in
my new career quickly. I was earning a decent living and doing something that
was creative and utilized my natural skills.
My marriage was wonderful, and I had a great circle of friends from
college and from my new community in New Jersey. We purchased a house in the suburbs instead
of a metropolitan condo, and so having a baby was the next, logical step.
My husband Shawn and I got pregnant quickly after being
seduced with Valentine’s Day filet mignon, chocolate truffles, and sparkling wine.
We were ecstatic. We were going to be
the best parents ever. Better than our
own parents. Shawn tagged along at every
OB appointment and helped around the house. I took great care of myself; I
took my prenatals, extra folic acid, and extra iron, I ate lots of fruit and
vegetables, drank water every hour, did prenatal yoga, and when my back hurt
from the extra weight I was carrying, I got maternal massages almost weekly. I was relaxed and had a relatively easy
pregnancy. I ran my pregnancy like other
areas of my life; I put in the great effort now, to reap the rewards
later.
A change in course
For 39 weeks of my pregnancy, I told friends, family, and my
employer that I would stay home for 12 weeks, work remotely from home from time
to time, have a bouncing baby boy, and juggle the demands of motherhood, wife,
and employee with little effort and much humility. My dreams changed when I gave birth on
November 8, 2008. My first born,
Terrence came into the world wrapped in his umbilical cord and lungs filled
with meconium. He lost oxygen to his brain
prior to and during my labor and delivery. Today he is an infant with severe brain
damage. After 39 weeks of what was a
relatively smooth pregnancy (just one bout of morning sickness), my world
completely changed and I was no longer going to be the cool, collective mother
I’ve always envisioned being. In the
weeks following my delivery, I would actually turn out to be a major
wreck.
Coping with the unexpected
I cried every time I visited my son at the state’s
children’s hospital’s NICU. I would have
arguments with God and scream, “Why me?
Why us? My husband and I don’t
deserve this! Our son doesn’t deserve
this! How can you be so cruel, dear Lord?” I would breakdown at the sight of my son in
his isolette with his IVs, his breathing tube, and his feeding tube. My 6 lb. 9 oz. angel was monitored by
machines and nurses and doctors who shook their heads whenever they recorded
their daily stats on him. They would
take a pitiful look at me and their eyes said it all, “Good luck with your
brain damaged kid." On top of that, I
couldn’t produce or pump enough milk to feed him, so the hospital had to
substitute with formula, which is awful according to the breast milk Nazis. The breast milk Nazis at first would reassure
me that it was the painkillers from my emergency cesarean that kept me from
producing milk. Then
it was the stress from my “situation.” Then it was the quality of my breast pump (despite being a highly
recommended hospital-grade pump). After
a while, even I knew my breasts had failed me and my baby, despite growing to an
F-cup during my pregnancy. I would ask
myself, ‘what kind of horrible mother couldn’t produce milk for her own
child?' I placed such undue pressure on
myself because that little voice in my head kept telling me that ‘every drop
counts especially with his lack of brain development.' It didn’t help that the breast milk Nazis
would remind me of this at every single visit to the NICU.
A wake-up call
Then all of a sudden something happened a month after my
son came into this world. I woke up from
the fog that clouded my thoughts and actions. My baby blues lifted and I wasn’t relying on morphine or Percocet and I
returned to the determined woman I was before pregnancy. For weeks, I’d thought that my kid needed the
doctors and nurses to survive, but then I realized what he needed was his
mother, and he needed her to be strong. I pulled myself together and worked on putting his needs ahead of my
ambitious, yet fruitless dreams of being a perfect mother.
A little help from friends
I’ve abandoned the breast pumping. I pumped to the best of my ability for 6
weeks and that was good enough. This was
my first kid and I had a million and one other new things to learn for this
thing called motherhood. For once in my
life, I asked for help from friends and relatives. And help came by the boatloads. Friends, in-laws, and colleagues cooked for us,
and when they couldn’t (or didn’t want to) cook, they catered meals to our home
or presented baskets of food. Terrence
has been blessed with tons of baby gifts and clothes. My husband, Shawn, and I have received decorations for our Christmas tree, and interior painting services from our beloved college
friends. My sorority sisters even came
over to help me clean the house.
A new life
Now back on track, I’ve increased my visits to the hospital
to bond with my son. I’ve forged
relationships with my son’s physical, occupational, and speech therapists. I speak to the hospital’s social worker
whenever I need to cry or need a new resource as we prepare for my son’s arrival
home. I speak to the pediatricians,
neonatal nurses, and neurologist on a daily basis. I hold my baby’s doctors accountable for lack
of daily communication, and I even understand the chemical composition of the medication
my son is given for his infant spasms.
While I respect the doctor’s medical expertise, I am his mother, and
mother’s instincts trump all. For
instance, I knew my son would learn to suck and swallow when the neurologist
lost hope. And I knew my son would learn
to cry even when the hospital didn’t want to recommend a speech therapist to be
a part of Terrence’s development team.
The road ahead
My son has a long way to go when it comes to reaching
certain milestones now and in the future, but then again, so do I. Most infants learn to smile at 9 weeks. My son does it now at 7 weeks. Some mothers can pump milk by the gallons. I cannot and will not. Society will label my son as special needs,
but it is me who requires the extra time and education to reach my
milestones. My son, at 7 weeks, has taught
me that I cannot permit others, even those of a respectable pedigree, to
dictate what and when he and I can accomplish things. With faith, a lot of work, and help from
others, he and I can accomplish all that is and all that will be required to establish
and maintain our new relationship as mother and son.
> Read more about jerseycaptive!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com.
Posted by
Bump Dara
Filed under: mom stories
Posted Monday, December 08, 2008 4:35 PM
"For the first time, I feel like I am a mother and that I am capable of being a good mommy on my own..."
Those first few months
After Jackson was born, I had help almost everyday from my mom. Thank goodness for this, because Jackson was a tough little newborn. He would never sleep and his acid reflux made him one little cranky man. I also went through Postpartum Depression. When Jackson was three months old and I went back to work part-time, my mom watched Jackson on the days I worked. They had a great little bond. I really loved working, getting out of the house, interacting with adults, and felt completely comfortable with my mom watching him, especially because we are so close.
An unexpected move
However, when Jackson was about eight months old, my husband got a cannot-pass-up job offer 3,000 miles away in California! We had to take it and although it meant moving from my mom, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. So in a matter of weeks, we sold our house, traded in our 2 cars for 1, I quit my job, he quit his job working for his family business and we moved with Jackson and our 2 dogs from Pennsylvania to California.
Bonding with baby
Today I am a stay at home mom and although it was a huge adjustment at first, I really love it now. We actually go to Mommy and Me classes at the local library and do different things every day. I have truly bonded with my son in a completely different way. Although I miss my mom terribly, I call her at least once a day. We can always visit and she can visit us. For the first time though, I feel like I am a mother and that I am capable of being a good mommy on my own.
> Read more about LauraandMatt!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com.
Posted by
Bump Kaitlin
Filed under: mom stories
Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 11:42 AM
"It feels great to be confident (well most days anyway!) and I know
that if I have a question, there is support around me to help figure it
out..."
For all the moms out there who read too many books, blogs, web pages and of course The Bump... I have this to say: trust in yourself. You are the only one who knows your baby, from his crooked pinky toe to that adorable little birthmark, to those sparkly eyes that change from green to blue depending on the light. You know when he cries whether he is serious or just faking it to get your attention.
I write this as a mom who has learned to trust herself. There are days that I still reach out to The Bump, blogs and books, just to "check in," to be sure I'm not the only crazy mom out there. As a first time mom, this hasn't been an easy path. When I was pregnant, every movement and feeling would send me straight to the phone to call other pregnant moms or moms who had traveled this road before. I thought of my impending labor. I wanted a natural labor, but how would I get what I wanted when I had never done it before? That day came. I was described as being bossy in the labor room. Who knew how to do this or what I wanted better than me? So I asked for ice when I wanted it, a back rub when I needed it, and turned my faith over to my body when Patrick was ready.
When I brought Patrick home, I was so unsure of everything. What did that cry mean? How do I figure out breastfeeding? Is he warm/cool/happy enough? I had wonderful support around me, I read books and logged on to the internet. I even blogged about it all so I wouldn't forget a minute of it. Through the last seven months though, I have now come to realize that I do know. I know what that cry means, I know how to feed him; I don't know how to help him sleep better, but I do know that he is loved and safe and secure. I may have made some choices that others disagree with, but they are my choices and they work for my family and for Patrick.
I wrote a blog entry one day when I was feeling insecure about all the choices that I had made:
No, Patrick is not sleeping through the night
Yes, he does sleep in our bed part to most of the night
Yes, this is a decision that Ryan and I are BOTH ok with for now
No, we don't plan to have him sleep with us until he is 10
Yes, I am tired most of the time
Yes, my plan is to breast-feed a year or so depending on what Patrick decides
No, we aren't worried about doing solids yet, although he has had a taste of cereal this past week.
No, he doesn't need extra vitamins or food really, he gets all he needs from me
No, we don't let him Cry it Out (if you have heard him go from sound asleep to wailing as quickly as we have, you would understand)
Yes, Ryan is an awesome dad and a great support
No, I don't know what I am doing
Yes, I am learning as I go
No, I didn't read "it" in a book, I just do what feels right (and then constantly question myself!)
After I posted that, my mother in law sent me the most encouraging note. She said: "You don't need to answer to anybody. There are about as many theories of raising kids as there are parents. Some people just ask questions out of curiosity, some make remarks we take the wrong way, and then there's some who will judge us no matter what we do. I know -- I had a tough sister-in-law and absolutely EVERYTHING I did was wrong, and she sure didn't mind telling me. My kids were going to be spoiled rotten and never amount to anything. After a while you start wondering if they're right. The first baby is the hardest. After everyone has the second and third, they (most people) relax a little and realize there are no hard and fast rules. You do what works for you and that child...chances are they'll grow up just fine. And he WILL start sleeping through the night...you'll have a few good years before he becomes a teenager and you start losing sleep again! They grow up too fast. Enjoy him and do things with and for him that you're comfortable with... he's an awfully nice little guy -- and I'm sure I'm not prejudiced."
It feels great to be confident (well most days anyway!) and I know that if I have a question, there is support around me to help figure it out.
> Read more about caytibeth! (Love her pics? See more of her photography at www.blissphotographymn.blogspot.com/.)
> Share your mom story! Email it to Bump Kaitlin at kstanford@theknot.com.
Posted by
Bump Kaitlin
Filed under: mom stories
Posted Friday, November 14, 2008 3:40 PM
"I returned to work when DD was a mere six weeks old. Despite the many text messages and emailed updates DH would send me, I think I cried every day that first week alone..."
After carrying my daughter for nine months and giving birth to her in May, I didn't think I'd ever be able to leave her side. But DH and I made the decision that I would continue my career and he would become a SAHD. And while we felt very happy and secure with that idea, the reality of our arrangement has had a few bumps along the way.
I returned to work when DD was a mere six weeks old. We were still getting to know each other, still working hard at breastfeeding, and still nowhere near any semblance of a sleep schedule. But I packed off to work with my breast pump and a handful of pictures to remind me of her throughout the day. Despite the many text messages and emailed updates DH would send me, I think I cried every day that first week alone. It was no picnic for DH either. On more than one occasion he confessed the small twinge of jealousy he felt when he realized how "easy" it was for me to nurse DD compared to the screaming tear-fest he experienced every time he couldn't heat up a bottle fast enough.
Every parent has their own way of doing things. But I've had to learn to ask DH for help when my way just isn't working. You can imagine my frustration when I'd come home from a long day, ready to play with DD only for her to get cranky and DH say, "No, we were just in the Jumperoo," or "We already played with the blocks. She needs downtime." And I felt like saying "Well, how was I supposed to know?" But I've realized that if I listen to DH and accept his input, DD and I can settle in and enjoy each other a lot easier. But that doesn't mean we don't occasionally disagree. Like the time DD was six weeks old and he called me at work to tell me he was going to take her rollerblading through the park! I put my foot down immediately. We came to the agreement that anything out of the ordinary routine has to be discussed ahead of time and that sometimes, for reasons that don't have to be explained, mommy-judgement trumps all.
Most days I can be home by dinner, but occasionally I'm stuck pulling an all-nighter which means I'm home well after DD has already gone to sleep. These nights are the hardest on all of us. I like to put DD to bed. She looks forward to that time with me as well. When I'm not there, she let's DH know, she's not happy. And with a round the clock day for me, it means DH hasn't had a break at home either. And as all SAH parents know, downtime is crucial. But on those good nights when I get home, bath and feed DD, and read and rock her to sleep, DH is free to relax. Although once I put DD down for the night, I'm in desperate need of some downtime of my own. And that's usually when DH is looking to spend time with me. It's been tough finding a balance between what our daughter needs, what we as individuals need, and what our marriage needs.
DH will be the first to admit that he misses adult interaction. He has yet to meet any other fathers who are doing the job he is doing. But in an effort to get out of the house and around some grownups, he's joined a Music Together class with DD. While they're happy to have a SAHD join, none of the mom's have yet to chat with him about milestones, diaper rash, pediatricians, or any of the other million things that happen with their DC's on a daily basis. He's gotten some off-the-wall comments from friends and family who think that staying at home caring for DD is some kind of walk in the park. Or people who, after learning he is a SAHD, continue to press him by asking, "But what do you do for work?" He's also identified a small but annoying set back in his travels with DD. Most women's bathrooms have changing tables for infants, but he has yet to find a men's room with one of these!
Every month brings something new with DD growing faster than we can keep track of. I love watching the bond between DD and DH strengthen. And DH is already asking when I'd like to try for DC #2, so obviously he loves his new job! I hope DD can look back on this time and appreciate what her father did for her and for our family. And I will always be indebted to him for the choice he made and for being the best father I could have ever hoped for our daughter.
> Read more about Califlorida!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com.
Posted by
Bump Kaitlin
Filed under: mom stories
Posted Friday, October 24, 2008 11:28 AM
"He is a very outgoing,
social, and playful baby, and for that I am thankful. He has so much character..."
I remember last August when I saw not one, but two
bright pink lines glaring back at me on a pregnancy stick. I was in total
disbelief, bought a digital, and there it was again. This time in big letters
the word “PREGNANT” shined. I was so happy; I cried and instantly said a prayer
thanking God for such a miracle. I was told I may not be able to have kids, and
this was something I did not expect to happen so quickly! The day we found out
we were having a boy, we started calling Quentin by his nickname: “Q-Ball”.
See, DH is a pool player and Q-Ball just seemed so right. Plus, it’s funny!
Six months ago, Quentin Matthew was born.
The day I went
into labor, I ate a large pineapple shake and foot-long chili cheese dog from
Sonic to help “induce” the labor. Sure enough, at 39 weeks, 4 days and 3 hours after
eating all that fattening Sonic food, labor had started! After eating that
food, I was tired, and went home to take a nap. I awoke from my nap with very
big contractions like I never felt before. “This is it! This is it!” I
screamed. After laboring for 17 hours, 3 hours of pushing, and an unplanned
c-section (due to Quentin’s size compared to my small birth canal), my little man
arrived! He was 8 lbs., 6oz. and 20” long, and I was in complete shock when I
first laid my eyes on him. It felt so surreal that he was actually here, and
was my baby. Amazing to say the least. I
looked over at DH, and he has tears streaming down his cheeks as he held our
son for the first time. That is a moment I will forever cherish, and never
forget.
So here we are six months later, with a very social, outgoing, and fun baby boy on our hands! I will say it has been quite a journey. After the c-section, I was in a large amount of pain the first few
weeks and was also trying to breastfeed. I remember getting up every two hours
when he would cry to eat, and feed him, and then try to go back to sleep. I
felt nervous for some reason, and sleep was not easy for me. I would hover over
Quentin’s crib and just stare at him to make sure he was okay. Every time he
woke to eat, I would take him in the living room with me and we would watch MTV
music videos together while I fed him, (Correction: I would watch music videos,
he would just breastfeed. Ha ha!). After a while, I was so bored with the same
music videos, and memorized all the lyrics to all the same top 40 songs played
over and over again.
Every week, something new changed about Quentin.
Sometimes, daily I would notice something new. I remember DH going in to get
Quentin out of his crib and shouted, “Oh wow…he has teeth!” Quentin developed
teeth very early. He started teething at two-and-a-half months, and already has four teeth at six months old, and is also getting three more in! I told DH for Christmas we should
just buy this kid a steak! (LOL!)
He also started to sleep through the night fairly early around two months. I was
so proud of him, and glad since I was already back to work. I went back to work
at six weeks postpartum and it had to be the hardest thing yet. I cried and
cried the weekend before I had to return to work. I didn’t want to leave him
with a sitter. I longed to be a SAHM. However, now that I am used to working
again, I am glad I am a working mom because I have “me” time with no baby for a
few hours. Sure, I still miss him, but sometimes it’s nice to enjoy lunch with
friends at work without a baby on your lap, you know?
My husband has been the greatest dad, and I honestly did not
expect that. He has always been a very impatient person and stubborn as a mule.
After having Quentin, he did a complete 360, and would do anything in the world
for our little man. At first he was a little taken aback, since Quentin was the
center of my attention when DH used to be. After all, I was breastfeeding and
had to care for Quentin almost every hour of the day. But, DH understood after
a few weeks, and started really getting his hands dirty with all the baby
stuff. He used to take him in the shower with him to give him a bath while I
slept; he would change his diaper and feed him a bottle when he knew I had an exhausting
day; and he would take Quentin on running errand trips to give me some time to
relax. What a wonderful, wonderful dad and husband he is. I think after having
our son, I have fallen deeper in love with him. I feel so blessed.
Quentin is the first grandchild on my side of the
family, and is the first grandson on DH’s side of the family. Everyone was
quite surprised I was carrying a boy since everyone on DH’s side had all girls.
Quentin is our families pride and joy. Every time he sees his aunts, uncles, or
grandparents, his little eyes light up with excitement. He is a very outgoing,
social, and playful baby, and for that I am thankful. He has so much character,
and makes me laugh and makes me cry happy tears quite often.
Being a mother is the best gift life has ever given to me. Motherhood is
unexplainable, unpredictable, and unbelievably amazing.
> Read more about NewlywednOhio!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com!
Posted by
Bump Kaitlin
Filed under: mom stories
Posted Thursday, October 30, 2008 2:59 PM
"The old me would have gotten all out of shape if things didn't work out
as planned. Now I realize the best gift Jackson has given Brian and I
is the gift of slowing down..."
How has life changed since becoming a mom? It's funny, if you would have asked me this in the first month, I would have said: lack of sleep and nerves. The fogginess of that first month baffles me. It was so many sweet and scary moments. I was just trying to keep up. Jackson had been born a month early and at his one month appointment the phrase "failure to thrive" was used. Every mother's nightmare. I was asked to stop breastfeeding and start monitoring everything he ate. I was so emotionally beside myself that first month. Somehow in the midst of all that, my husband Brian and I truly became a family. Even though we didn't think we were missing anything in our lives before, when Jackson arrived, he completed us.
The second month was when we really started having fun with him. He started gaining weight little by little and his personality started to emerge. He is such a cuddle bunny. Always wanting to snuggle. He began following us with his eye's, and recognizing our voices. Sitting up in his Boppy and Swing quickly became favorite past times. We started co-sleeping -- for us it was a God send. We all rested better and Jackson just thrived.
The third month has been full of smiles and laughter. He is so silly. He "winks" all the time and just loves to talk when your talking to him. There are days I feel like I don't get anything done but play with him. The old me would have gotten all out of shape if things didn't work out as planned. Now I realize the best gift Jackson has given Brian and I is the gift of slowing down. I know people say it all the time, but I have no idea what we did before he came. Jackson will be four months on Friday. I know rolling over is just around the corner. I can't wait to see all the "next" things. But deep down inside it makes this mommy a little sad to think her baby is starting to grow up.
You can follow Jackson and all his new adventures at his blog: http://mommara.blogspot.com
> Read more about rara855!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com.
Posted Thursday, October 09, 2008 5:10 PM
"I am excited for our future with Madi. I will do my best to make sure
she is a respectful, responsible and successful young woman..."
Exactly nine months ago today my precious baby girl was born! Like everyone says, it was the very best day in my whole life! It was a perfect, rather quick delivery. I was induced at 36 weeks and 4 days due to pre-eclampsia. Madisyn May was a perfect 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Unlike some moms, the newborn stage was my very favorite! I miss that tiny little body, all flemsey and completely helpless. Feet so tiny that no socks fit, and a butt so small that we had to fold down the diapers. So precious!
Life as we knew it came to a complete hault. Suddenly all of our attention was directed completely to this beautiful little girl. We were just so proud to be her parents. I would say that our relationship has its trying moments as new parents, but we have made it through them and couldn't be happier!
Madi was the first grand baby on both sides, first great grand baby on both sides and first niece on both sides! Everyone is just so excited to have her in their lives! I had nine of them in the delivery room when she was born, and I am so glad that they were all able to experience the joy of welcoming her to the world.
Today Madi is crawling like crazy, standing on her own, cruising around in her walker and eating table foods. She is a very happy little girl. She is determined and has a strong will. Once she has her mind set on something she must have it or accomplish it! She is very set in her ways also. She is always smiling and giggling. She's a mommy's girl, but no one can make her laugh like daddy! She adores her grandparents and her aunts. Looking at family photos is one of her favorite things to do.
I am excited for our future with Madi. I will do my best to make sure she is a respectful, responsible and successful young woman. We can't wait to be able to take her out on the lake, teach her to water ski, take her camping, go to her sporting events and watch her learn and grow. As much as I hate seeing my baby girl grow up, as a mother I am also looking forward to being at her graduations, wedding and seeing her have my grand babies.
Madi, don't grow up to fast baby girl! Mommy loves you! XOXOX
> Read more about brittneycc1982!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com.
Posted by
Bump Kaitlin
Filed under: mom stories
Posted Friday, October 03, 2008 10:31 AM
"To watch my husband with her -- wow.
I really didn't think I could love him any more than I already did. But
him as 'Dad', in this whole new dimension, is so wonderful to watch..."
Ready for mommyhood
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a mother. Always. Despite a great career, a busy and active social life, there was no doubt in my mind that I was made to be a mom. My husband used to laugh at me when I'd tell him exactly how it would pan out ("I'll have my first by 26, and my second by 30... girl first!"), but I never doubted for a minute that this was how it would be. Sierra came to us just a few weeks before my 27th birthday, and she was the most amazing birthday present I could have ever dreamed of asking for. I remember the first morning we were home from the hospital I woke up and looked over at my tiny, swaddled baby girl, and I just teared up. I couldn't imagine for a minute how I could've possibly been so lucky and so suddenly in love with this little person. Sometimes I still catch myself with watery eyes... I wonder if that will ever go away? I hope not!
Motherhood has come with it's ups and downs, as with most things, but even the downs have their upside. If I've been up all night taking care of a cranky (or overly happy!) baby girl, all it takes is one smile first thing in the morning and all is forgiven. Sierra lights up my world; I have a hard time remembering what life was like before her. I know I was busy - but doing what?
A new chapter
While I don't feel I've changed into a whole new person, I do think motherhood has turned me into a better version of who I was. I left my fast-paced, high stress career to stay home with Sierra, and I've not once regretted it. We keep very busy, I've made new friends, and I get to spend tons of time with my favorite person in the world. I am so grateful that we were able to plan and save to make this happen. My husband is so supportive in my staying home and I have to say that's been a big help.
There are certainly new issues, difficulties and much higher requirements for patience (which I've really never been good at, anyhow. Who really believes that's a virtue, anyway!?). Who knew I'd ever glare at someone for turning the lock on the front door too loudly, or innocently slamming a kitchen cupboard shut? How will I survive today on this measly three hours of sleep? When was the last time I cleaned the bathroom? But ultimately, who cares? How long will she really be this little, anyway. And to watch my husband with her -- wow. I really didn't think I could love him any more than I already did. But him as 'Dad', in this whole new dimension, is so wonderful to watch.
Looking toward the future
Parenting is a very big unknown, even now. What will she be like in two, five, ten years? Who will she look like? Will she be an athlete? A bookworm? A star? Every time I see Sierra do something new, figure something out, and reach a new milestone my heart glows with pride. She recently learned how to roll, and I imagine it'd be hard to tell which of us is more excited when she does it! She is the most precious and beautiful thing in my life, and I genuinely look forward to what each and every new day will bring.
> Read more about destea1!
> Want to share your mom story? Email it to kstanford@theknot.com!
Posted by
Bump Kaitlin
Filed under: mom stories