Our Last Day of All Day Everyday Togetherness

I'm going to make sure this smile NEVER goes away!

I'm going to keep this post short, because I'm already tearing up writing this first sentence!  So where do I begin??

Words cannot describe the love I have for the little girl who grew perfectly inside me for 40 weeks and 4 days.  She was perfect to me in utero.  I had no morning sickness, food aversions, nausea, excessive weight, etc!  She was perfect to me in delivery, as I had a medicine free delivery and 2 good pushes to finally meet her and perfectly allowed me to get quickly back into my pre-mommy physique.  And now she's been perfect to me for the 11 weeks and 4 days of her life that we shared together daily!

As I go to work tomorrow and take you to day care, I think of how you adjusted to life in the Lavender home.  You have been a healthy, happy and extremely hilarious baby!  I've enjoyed every moment of lost sleep, every diaper I had to change and even every cry that you shed to let us know you were in need.  I would have to be honest and say that it hasn't always been easy adjusting to motherhood, as breastfeeding certainly came with its share of pain, and lifestyle adjustments are still difficult to accept and endulging in my wine and spirits seem to be few and far between!  But it is all so worth it!

As I look back on these past weeks, some of the moments I cherish most are going to the mall and strolling you along as you took in every image you came across.  I enjoyed establishing feeding/play/nap schedule for you and feeling like my Ah-ha moment came when I finallly got the confidence to decipher your cries and anticipate your wants.  You enjoyed your activity time just as much as I enjoyed reading and playing with you.  Bathtime wasn't always friendly, but I finally found out how to make the experience enjoyable for both us!   Of course I can't forget you allowing me to photograph you at every chance I got!  You amused me long enough to get my money shots before you let me know "enough is enough"!  And lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Shreveport, just you and me and you traveled like a pro!  I was certainly nervous about the trip, but you quickly allayed my fears with your consistent demeanor!

If I had it my way, I would be a SAHM (stay at home mom).  I thought I would NEVER say that, but having had the opportunity to stay home and nurture my child, it embed a brand new feeling of responsibility that I never had before.  But since that is not my reality, I feel even more responsibility to excel in my career and provide a life for her that she deserves and more!

The love for your child is the type of love that never goes away.  I will love my child to the day I die!

Thank you JSL for being as perfect as God has intended you to be!  Though I'm headed back to work, my evenings will be all about our family!  Please know that the sacrifices being made are ALL for you!