"Coming Into My Own"

I have been blessed lately with a feeling of coming into my own. Things just feel like they are falling back into place. Maybe not their old place, but definitely a new place that is comfortable. Allow me to illustrate.

Juliet has become a wonderful sleeper. She goes to sleep around 8pm, and wakes up for the first time around 5 am to eat. I often have to get up to pump from discomfort before she gets up. After 5 am she will go back to sleep for another couple of hours before getting up for the day. Her sleep schedule has allowed me to get a couple of hours of work done in the evening without having to stay up until the crack of dawn. It seems that I am actually getting 6 or 7 hours of sleep without any problems. I am definitely counting my blessings. It could not have come soon enough. I was beginning to think that 4 or 5 hours of sleep was going to be a new way of life. The sleep and evening "free time" let me rejuvenate myself.

Physically, I am feeling more and more like myself. I have lost the weight that I put on while I was pregnant entirely. I think a lot of my body is redistributed now but, I can work on that. The parts that have changed permanently are feeling less and less foreign by the day. I am sure that this time next year, some of those marks and such will have faded. My stamina to do things is also returning. I find that walking steps, and lifting heavy objects to be easy again. Before, I though lifting a gallon of milk was terrible.

Juliet is really flourishing. She holds her head up relatively well now, and is starting to grasp objects with her hands. Her interest in toys placed in front of her helps to keep her occupied so I can get things done around the house. I feel as though I can put her down occasionally without her feeling totally ignored. She also seems to enjoy watching her surroundings and me go about my daily chores.

I have also learned to manage my time in new and different ways. Juliet does not take much of a nap during the day, much to my dismay, but I have learned to recognize the times when I can get things done with her watching on in her seat. It is amazing what you can get accomplished in 5 or 10 very busy minutes.

All in all, I am really enjoying being a mother. I definitely feel like it is as rewarding as I was hoping and then some. The major difficulties that I experienced in the first month or two are now seeming more like nuisances than anything else. As Juliet grows into quite the little girl, I seem to be coming into my own as well.