Milestones

I have been going to a mom's group since Julia was about 6 weeks old. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share with other mom's - it makes a huge difference to have others who can relate and have already been through certain phases and can help you along the way. Yesterday I left the group feeling thankful - thankful for the simple gift of sharing.

It has been so funny to watch Julia grow. I was so overwhelmed the first week that I went to this group. I was an hour late for a group that only lasts an hour and I was so embarrassed when I walked in...I made myself go because I knew it would be good and if I didn't do it, I would never return. Now Julia is a bit more predictable and I can confidently get there in true "10 minute late" Lauren Gray style.

I learned the other day that even batting at objects is a milestone...everything counts as growth. I think that's about where we are, but here are some of the top other ones that Julia has accomplished over the past few weeks:

Sitting up in her Bumbo seat

Grabbing objects (she got a big kick out of pulling her blanket over her head when we were on vacation in Maine - it became a daily playtime routine).

She is also consistently sleeping through the night and has been since about 6 weeks. This is not her actual nighttime attire, but she looks so cute in her fleece bunting!

I know the big milestones are right around the corner, which is hard to believe! This time last year I didn't even know I was pregnant - it all seems to be happening so quickly! God has been incredibly faithful in placing other couples in our lives at the perfect time to coach us through these phases or walk beside us as we encounter them together.

Thankful is a good word.

"In those days, we finally chose to walk like giants & hold the world in arms grown strong with love & there may be many things we forget in the days to come, but this will not be one of them."

Awakening - Brian Andreas

There have been so many moments in the last 3 months that have caused me to stop and attempt to soak it all in. Smelling Julia's hair as she's snuggled in my arms after a bath or watching her squeal with delight as Charles attempts to impersonate a loon in one of her storybooks - I just have this feeling like no other. The kind of feeling that I know I will look back on and remember how life altering this all has been (and continues to be). Although things will just keep getting better from here, there is nothing that compares to the precious and uncharted territory of life with a newborn. There is so much that we have learned about this child and so much that she continues to teach us. I transition back to work this week and I couldn't help but look up the above quote from Brian Andreas. This is how I feel. My, we have grown. And we will never be the same.