Motherhood: Doozies and New Days

Today might have been the hardest day of this almost-18-months of motherhood that I’ve experienced yet.

Ailey and I have both been epically sick, so much so that Trent had to stay home one day this week with the two of us, for which I am eternally grateful. Even as I type this, she and I are alternating coughing fits. It’s been a real party. In addition, tiny lady is teething four molars and at least a pair of eye teeth, which apparently is no walk in the park, although I do not remember my own experience.

A lot of mothering is just getting to know your kid, and to be honest, a year and a half isn’t that long to know someone. Ailey and I have a lot more to learn about each other. I’m so thrilled that we get to do this together, and today was one of those days that teaches me that we still have a ways to go. Hey, idiot, you don’t actually know it all. Don’t we all need a reminder of that every so often?

So, there were no major tragedies in our house today, but we just couldn’t get on the same page. There was a lot of crying and a lot of snot and exactly zero naps. Then, all of a sudden, it was bed time and I stayed downstairs while Trent read books and brushed teeth and listened to the whole delightful thing over the baby monitor. I married such a good one, who reads the same book over and over in silly voices, and asks a tiny girl if she wants to pray with him before she sleeps and then waits for her to say ” ‘men” to end the prayer. 

Then, all the frustration of the day leaks away with the rainwater pounding windows outside and I’m reminded that even these rough days count. This is it–our life–and it’s a good one. We are growing and learning together, and even when it’s hard, it’s so good.

I walk the dog before heading upstairs for the night and realize I actually need a rain coat. It’s pouring, which is rare here, and I love it. There’s a bunny seeking shelter under a tree and we’re walking in the rain, which is washing us and the world around us new for tomorrow.

reason number 657 why I love motherhood

Ailey is 16 months old nowadays, which means she is a hilarious, adorable, totally illogical, crazy toddler. I get that I’m biased, but hanging out with her is a trip.

She’s slowly amassing her vocabulary, which boasts some doozies like dog, mama, dada, and ball. Watch out, Mensa.

She’s even more adept at understanding what we say, which means we can ask her to do things and sometimes it works! I don’t know why this feels like such a huge, amazing accomplishment, and it may be because she’s our first child, but we have been in total awe of the fact that she’s old enough to go get things for us in other rooms. Seriously, minion, where have you been all of my life?

This weekend, she toddled past me, and as is wont to happen, she reeked. Clearly something major had happened in the diaper department. Trent was reading (read: playing Tricia Crack) on the couch a few feet away from us, so we both watched as I asked her to go into the bathroom and get a diaper. She totally did it!

We did that annoying thing parents do where they cheer for their kid for doing normal human activities and told her what a good job she had done, clapping feverishly. Then, I asked her for the diaper so I could change it and she held up the diaper, pointed right to Trent, and yelled “dad!!!!”

Then, she toddled right on over to him and handed him the diaper.

I’ve never been more proud.