Motherhood.

Motherhood. The dictionary defines it as: The kinship relationship between an offspring and the mother.  The last seven months have taught me what this word really means.  In seven months we have experienced sleepless nights, many budget changes, illnesses, messy rooms, big toys that take up so much of our house, carseats in the cars, children's music everywhere we go...really the list could go on and on. 
Seven months. 
I can't even believe this has happened.  She is SEVEN MONTHS old!  Let me just say....these seven months have honestly been the fastest and the best in my life.  Motherhood has changed me into something new.  It has taught me how to love SO much more than I ever thought could be possible.  Everyone always said that this would happen before Emily was born.  I had heard so many stories of these moms who had their whole world turned upside down and changed for the better.  It is the truth.  All throughout my pregnancy, and even my labor, I don't think I ever understood what was really going to be happen.  So much of me was worried that I was going to be a terrible mother because I wasn't sure if I was ready for these crazy changes that would happen in my life.  Then suddenly she was here. 

It was such a surreal experience.  One minute I was a woman who was pregnant.  The next, she was here and I was a mother.  Due to the fever I had during labor, we were only able to hold her for a few minutes before she was taken up to NICU to have some tests run on her.  It was about three hours later that she was brought in and were finally able to hold our little girl.  For me, this was when it really hit me.   Oh my goodness, this little girl was ours.  We came here as husband and wife, and are coming home as a family.

There was so much hustle and bustle while in the hospital between nurses, doctors, visitors, and lack of sleep.  It was honestly in the quiet moments at home when it really hit me that this little girl had stolen my heart.  I don't know when "that" moment happened, but I do remember rocking her to sleep within a day of bringing her home and just crying because of this new-found love I felt for her.  I remember being so happy that this little sweetheart had come to our home.  I remember feeling so sad that not all babies get to come to a loving home and a loving family.  I remember just rocking her and feeling so grateful that this little girl had come into our lives.  That was when I also realized that, despite all kinds of messes, struggles, troubles, and frustrations we would have with this girl, I would ALWAYS love her.  I would always do anything for her.
Flash forward seven and a half months, and that feeling has never changed.  If anything, it has grown even more.  Our little girl has learned to smile, laugh, hold her head up, sit up, splash in the tub, eat solid foods and many other things.  Right now, she is even working on crawling!  My favorite moments are when I get home from work and she jumps up and down from her bouncer and squeals as soon as she sees me.  I love the way that she smiles with this LARGE grin whenever I come to get her in the morning.  I love the way that she will lay her head on my shoulder when she gets tired.  I love the way that she is starting to say, "Mamamama" and "Dadadadada" all the time (even if she doesn't realize completely what she is saying yet).  She is a funny and curious little girl.  It is so fun to see her little personality just bloom.  I wouldn't trade motherhood for anything.  Being a mom is so much fun, and the goods outweigh by a LONG shot SO much the frustrations.  We are so grateful for the pure love and joy which Emily has brought into our home.