By Laila Nachar
Along with the festivities, laughs, and fireworks the holidays usually bring, my family and I celebrated the first birthday of our baby boy. Our third child, our surprise baby boy… our last baby!
Our little prince joined the world on December 22nd, 2019. He was welcomed with bouncing arms, contagious smiles, and just the exact amount of excitement you would expect from his two older sisters. The year of 2020 surely passed, some moments went quick, while others couldn’t have passed faster. I mean 2020 is a year that will most definitely be in history books for eternity.
December 22nd, 2020 was a memorable day, as we hit the one-year milestone since welcoming baby boy. We lived through the sleepless nights, feeding sessions, emotional breakdowns, along with multiple periods of regression (multiplied by two). Yes, big sister and baby big sister were still jealous even though their new sibling was a boy. I must admit they genuinely dote on him, but those GREEN EYES can’t be hidden. Sibling rivalry is normal, and to be honest I would be concerned if I didn’t observe it on occasion.
As a third-time mother, my confidence has spiked this time around… AS I SHOULD BE! HAHA!!
However, I failed to anticipate how challenging it would be to transition from one child to three under the age of six. Our first year as we like to call it is THE YEAR OF SURVIVAL! This is the period of adjusting to all the chaos a baby brings. First time expecting moms, second time moms, fourth time moms, whichever category you fall into.. Realizing, understanding, and accepting the first year as a SURVIVAL YEAR is THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE YOURSELF. With acceptance comes the OKAYNESS.. Yes, I made that a word. Just go with it. The OKAYNESS of doing whatever you need to do to keep your new baby healthy, fed, alive, and well-loved. That means there is no rule book.. If you have one, first where did you get it? Second, throw it out the window, because as a mom X’s three, it all comes down to what is best for your family. That means breastfeeding, formula feeding, co-sleeping, giving a pacifier, singing to sleep, jumping up and down to get baby to sleep, baby-led weaning, Montessori baby education, play-based baby education, and most definitely holding your baby 24/7 is all ok.. I emphasize holding your baby when he cries and comforting him/her when they are calling for MAMA. Your baby is only a baby for a short period of time, hold him/her, throw out the rule book, inhale that baby smell for as long as you can and embrace them. Follow your instincts and be the MAMA, you were meant to be.
