One of the most common things I have heard as a new mom is to cherish every moment because it goes by so fast. The second most common thing I have heard is mothers saying that they don’t remember their little one as a newborn, and when they do remember the newborn trenches, they often recount the sleepless nights and fits of colic that plagued them during this time. However, I have found that there is so much more to the newborn stage than these difficult times. As my baby’s newborn phase comes to a close, (brief pause so that I can wipe the tear from my eye) I have made a list of my favorite parts of the newborn trenches to share with you all. I hope to help you remember these wonderful times with your little one as I cherish these beautiful moments with my own.
Newborn Snuggles
In my opinion, the absolute best part of having a newborn baby is holding them while they sleep. I love laying my little guy on my chest and snuggling him while he dreams. His little head fits perfectly in the crook of my chest, and his chubby little legs scrunch into my belly as he lays in his favorite place. He wraps his arms around me, and they barely reach to my back. I wrap my arms around him and everything feels right in the world. With his head so close to mine, I can easily smell his enchanting new baby scent. I can hear his deep breaths, little snores, and sleepy mews. I could stare at his beautiful, peaceful little face for hours. The pure bliss of cuddling my newborn baby is unmatched by anything I have ever experienced. It is a little slice of Heaven that makes all of the fussy days and sleepless nights worthwhile. I wish I could hold him like this forever, and I know this is what I will miss most when he is grown.
Newborn Noises
I love, love, love the sounds my baby makes. His tiny snores, his happy coos, the hip hip of his hiccups, his squeals of delight fill my heart with incredible joy. I love the sound he makes when he yawns, the way he hums when he first wakes up, the little snorts he makes while he eats, and his adorable attempt at a laugh. When he was first born, he constantly mewed in his sleep. It was so sweet that I would sit and watch him for hours. Now that he’s bigger, he’s begun experimenting with sound exploring the different noises he can make. I love to hear him babble on making broken noises that will one day be words. I can’t wait to hear his voice one day, but for now I am so happy to revel in his wonderful little sounds.
Newborn Expressions
Another thing I absolutely adore are the many expressions my baby makes. He may not be able to speak to me with words, but watching the way he reacts to the world around him gives me so much insight into the beautiful person he is. I love the face he makes when he yawns, stretching his mouth into a perfect little O shape. I love watching him furrow his brow when something confuses him. He looks so perplexed and so deep in thought. I love how he throws out his arms and opens his eyes wide when he is startled. I hate it when he cries, but I love his adorable little lip quiver. Though it completely breaks my heart, it is the most precious thing I have ever seen. I love when he watches the world in wonder, endless possibilities swimming in his eyes. Most of all, I love it when he smiles. The brightness in his eyes, the cute little grin on his face, the way he brings his hands into his chin as if his heart is too full of happiness, melt my heart.
Newborn struggles
Sometimes the struggles of having a newborn make the best memories. I’ll never forget laughing with my husband because the baby pooped on him midway through a diaper change or the many times he peed on me while he was in the bath. I laugh when I think of the times I misread his hunger cues, and he started suckling on his toy koala’s nose, my neck, or my husband’s shirt. I fondly remember the shared looks between myself and my husband as I walked our fuss baby up and down the hallway endlessly. I’ll always remember when we went to the doctor and found out that my husband had accidentally left the cap to the diaper cream in his diaper, and when my mom tried for ten minutes but couldn’t get the car seat out of the base. I relish the memory of my baby’s first witching hour when my husband and I danced and sang like lunatics until he finally fell asleep. I look back fondly on my son’s first fever. Though he cried so hard it nearly broke me, the deep snuggles we had when I finally got him settled felt absolutely magical. Sometimes the hard times really were hard, but sometimes those hard times created the memories I hope to hold onto the most.
Newborn Love
As a mother, your newborn baby can easily become your whole world. It is also true that you are your baby’s whole world. This is another thing I absolutely love about the newborn trenches. The way my baby boy keeps his eyes on me no matter what is happening around him makes my heart soar. The way he instantly settles from his tears when I get him into my arms makes me feel like a superhero. The way he looks up at me and holds my hand while he nurses could move me to tears. Watching him light up when he looks into my eyes fills my whole world with sunshine. Feeling that deep, unwavering love is the most special feeling in the world. One day his heart will be full of love for many things, but for now mommy is his greatest love. I plan to cherish every moment that I have in this spotlight because as much as he loves me, I know that I love him ten times more.
I am so excited to watch my son grow. There are so many milestones that are yet to come, and I know I will cherish them all deeply. These first three months have been just a tiny part of the rest of our lives together, and despite all the sleepless nights and exasperated fits of tears (from both of us) I have loved being in the newborn trenches with my boy. I hope to hold on to the memory of my tiny baby forever, and though I feel truly blessed to have a healthy, growing boy, I will desperately miss these times when he was so small, so delicate, so perfect. I hope that reading this has brought back a piece of your newborn days to you just as I hope that one day, when my son is grown, I can look back on these memories and feel for a moment the greatest of joys and overwhelming love that I feel right now.
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