It's Been a Crazy Ride

Tomorrow I start my new part time job. This has left me waxing poetic today. About how drastically my life has changed in the past 3 months.

The first Friday in April I left for maternity leave (and never to return to that job again.... which I didn't know at the time). It was unplanned. I'd expected to work at least for a couple more weeks. I mean I wasn't due until cinco de mayo. However, life had other plans for me. With my pre-eclampsia I had to basically camp out on the couch until I had him. Well, by the end of the week it had gotten so bad they had to induce me.

The hospital stay has become all but a vague memory of nurses, pain, an epidural, visitors and the most fatigue I've ever had in my whole life! I remember entering the hospital with the biggest belly I've ever seen one a pregnant woman, to leave still looking 6 months pregnant!

Recovery was a b#$%^. Seriously. No one told me about the absolutely horribly paralyzing cramps/contractions I'd have for the next three weeks. I guess I knew that the uterus returned to normal size somehow but I didn't realize how painful it would be. Also, how much more your ankles would swell AFTER you had the baby. I read somewhere that it takes your body awhile to realize that it's not pregnant and that it only needs half of the fluid that it was used to pumping through it. The other bad side effects I won't go into (since this is a family rated blog), but all pregnant women who have been there will know exactly what I am talking about. Anyway, it took about 6 weeks for my body to return to almost normal feeling. And another couple to regain complete feeling in my hands (I had horrible carpel tunnel syndrome, and at the end all I could feel in both hands were pins and needles... I gasp to think how bad it would be if I'd gone on for another three weeks).

Anyway, now except for the weight loss part, oh, and my coordination/balance, I feel about 97% normal (that is pre-pregnancy normal!).

But beyond that , the past 3 months have changed me in so many other ways. I am a different person now than I was on April 13th. When Brett was born I became a MOTHER.

I've started living FOR HIM. I don't care about my hair or cute shoes or cute clothes (alas, not that I can wear them anyway)... I want to spend my money on toys and nursery accessories and value packs of diapers. And, if my comfort level is compromised in any way, I'm not looking out for myself first... first I have to make sure that Brett is happy and comfortable. It's amazing how my view of the world has changed, based on this 12 pound miracle that it now revolves around. Never have I felt so much exhaustion, joy, frusteration and love, as I have in the past 3 months.

And, to watch him GROW. He has changed so much in the short period of time he has been on earth. He sleeps now (thank god!), he smiles and the world lights up, he can hold his head steady, he cries real tears (which breaks my heart), his daily diaper load has diminished (yay!), and he interacts. You know what I am so stoked about right now? The fact that he has a really nice/interactive play gym that should be arriving tomorrow from amazon.com. Yeah, I am starting a new job tomorrow and I can't wait for the fun he'll have playing with his play gym. I can't wait for Christmas this year!

So, to end this blog, here is a pic of Brett just after he was born, and as he is today! Amazing!