Remember This When Your Baby is Growing Up

My husband and I are incredibly thrilled to be pregnant with our third baby. We recently had one of those trendy “gender reveal” parties and found out it’s a little girl. But then something happened that I didn’t expect. I felt sad.

It’s not that I’m disappointed—I’m very excited to have another girl—but she might be our last baby. As soon as I realized it was a girl, the phrase popped into my head, “and they had three daughters,” past tense, and rather final.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for the future, but a piece of me doesn’t want this childbearing phase of life to end. I think whoever invented the idea of cherubs must have felt this same way, because babies really are heaven. I don’t want them to grow up. I don’t want to ever not have a baby in my life. To me, babies represent the way the world ought to be; happy, simple, honest, and innocent. I wish things could stay like this forever.

But every chapter comes to an end. Each season changes and turns into another. As difficult as my pregnancies have been, I am struggling with the knowledge that the childbearing and newborn chapter of my life is most likely drawing to a close.

Today, a dear friend gave me some very good advice: focus on something that makes you happy, and that helps you look with joy to the future. Plan the nursery, pick out baby clothes, prepare your home for the new little miracle about to enter it.

You see, children aren’t a gift that you only receive once. They’re a gift you keep unwrapping every single day. Every smile, developmental milestone, new tooth, crayon drawing, and mismatched outfit is a blessing to be anticipated and treasured.

To me, babies represent the way the world ought to be; happy, simple, honest, and innocent. I wish things could stay like this forever.

This is something I have to keep reminding myself. My days of “gender reveal” parties may be over, but every day from here on out will be full of surprises, beautiful revelations, and miracles worth celebrating.

Whether your baby is in preschool learning their ABC’s, in college mastering calculus, or building a career and having children of their own, we are so privileged—we are so incredibly privileged—to be their mommies.

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