On the 4th July 2016 my life changed forever. My beautiful daughter Mia “went live”.
I was told by so many people that nothing can prepare you for becoming a parent, and they were right. The last couple of months have been the hardest, busiest (even if I barely left the house other than to go to work or the supermarket) and most amazing of my life.
There is so much that you never know about babies until you have one. The first week in hospital I was blown away by the knowledge and patience of the midwives, dealing with first time parents who think every noise is the end of the world. They helped us so much during our week long stay, passing on as much as they could to prepare us for taking Mia home. That being said, once we arrived home the idea of not having them on call was terrifying!
Over her first month of life we discovered how true it is that time means nothing to a newborn. In her eyes there was no difference between 3pm & 3am. Together we watched almost every kilometre of the Tour de France, most of Wimbledon, plenty of Euro 2016 and even got to cheer the Hawks home a few times.
Through this period, I was amazed how quickly things would change. On one day we would have a perfect, sleeping baby and the next a grizzling child refusing to settle. This was a constant cause for self-doubt, spending hours wondering if we were doing it all wrong.
Now two months down the track, the challenges have changed. Initially it was purely a test of stamina, with Mia requiring a change, feed and settling every few hours all day, all night. Now it’s more of a mental challenge, attempting to establish routines and teaching her night from day. The stakes feel higher, as she’s approaching an age where she can learn good (and bad) habits.
I’m sure there will be a whole new set of challenges next month, and again the month after. As well as that, I’m sure each month will bring her passing new milestones that will cause us as much excitement as her first soft poo. And now people are telling me I‘ll be begging for these problems when I’m dealing with a hormonal 14 year old girl!
