Today I have a special treat for you. Alison from If coffee could talk has stopped by to give us all some insights into her mothering experiences. I can’t wait to hear what she has to say! Take it away Alison…
‘Enjoy every moment. They grow up too fast.’
and put on repeat, starting the day you find out a new baby is in your future.
But, the truth is, I didn’t truly understand its meaning until recently. My daughter is almost 17
months old.
Why is it so difficult to remember you might ask?
These days…
Most showers are cold and I’m not talking about the water; that’s warm! Instead, the
shower curtain opens and closes during the ten minute ordeal, bringing with it a cold
breeze as a giggly toddler sits on the opposite side.
A quick trip to the store means confirmation of a dry diaper before leaving and as luck
would have it, a whole new wardrobe change in the store bathroom thanks to a now full
diaper.
Almost every action is reflected into a toddler-sized mirror. While cooking dinner, I raise
my voice to scold our dogs for begging. As I turn around, I see my daughter pointing at
the dogs and yelling “tah tah tah”, mimicking what she saw. Oh boy.
Yes, these are all moments which should be expected during motherhood. But, sometimes, they
seem to overshadow and mask the moments I should be enjoying.
Making ridiculous animal noises and accompanying hand motions while reading stories
together before bed; or
Turning the radio on loud and dancing in our pajamas on Saturday mornings in the midst
of laundry piles as if we are performing an elegant routine on a high-end stage; or
Holding hands and walking outside, even if the stroll takes twenty minutes to cover a
four-foot stretch of sidewalk.
My little lady is already forming her own personality and knows how melt my heart. Even at the
young age of one, she knows a hug and kiss go a long way and is keen to using this sweetness
after misbehaving.
I am now silently thanking the complete strangers for sharing their wise advice with me while I
was pregnant and I hope to squeeze as much out of these days as I can. But in the meantime,
here’s my own small piece of advice for moms-to-be: practice your animal voices and take a
cold shower. Once your baby is here, you won’t want it any other way.