New Year, New Life, New Normal

For most of the working world, today is the first official day back to work after the end of the crazy holiday season. But for me, I consider it my first "official" day of maternity leave here at home with my baby girl. See, thanks to a very understanding boss (who happens to also play the roll of grandpa), Hubby has been home with me practically every day since Elyse was born. He did go into work 2 days last week, but I also headed down to my parents' house to catch a LONG nap while my mom watched Elyse.

We've spent 3 incredibly hard & wonderful weeks together as we have learned to navigate this incredibly rewarding, ridiculously trying new adventure called parenthood. Hubby & I have learned more about ourselves, and more about our strengths and weaknesses than we could have ever imagined. We've realized that even though we knew that "We would never be ready..." we really had no idea how "Not ready" we were.
I'd love to sit here and type that things have been all rosy & fun, but I'd be telling one of the biggest lies I've ever told. Parenting is SO hard...and we're only 3 weeks in! However, parenting is also the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. God blessed us with an incredibly beautiful, perfect baby girl and the love I have for her has already taught me so many things about myself.
In these first 3 weeks of Elyse's new life, we've already experienced so MANY firsts (which I'll try and post about very soon) and I can't even begin to imagine the things we are going to experience in the next weeks, months, and years of our first born's life. She has already changed SO much from the little 6 lb 4 oz newborn that we brought home 3 weeks ago...so I can't hardly handle how much she will change as our life continues to move forward! These 3 weeks have been so hard and I've definitely had some low moments, but I know I'll be so sad when these days of her FULL dependence on us are gone.

Life as we knew it before December 13 is gone, the holidays are over, and our new normal will begin to take shape beginning today. Elyse & I will spend our days either at home playing together, sleeping, and working to keep up with the never-ending loads of laundry...or some days we'll head down to my parents' house for a little time with the grandparents & to see Daddy over the lunch hour.

As we move into 2012, life for the Layman family will be unlike anything we've ever experienced. Sure there will be hard times, but if I've learned anything in the past 3 weeks it's that those really, really, difficult times are simply temporary and tomorrow is certainly another day. Honestly, tomorrow might not be any better either...in fact, it could be worse, but it's all a matter of perspective and simply putting one foot in front of the other and doing what's best for our baby girl. In order to keep that perspective, I have plans to go back and post some of my experiences in these first 3 weeks as a new mom...both the good and the bad.

Even with all the struggles, life couldn't be more perfect than it is right now. Hubby & I have an absolutely awe-inspiring amout of support around us and I am so incredibly thankful for the blessings that God is pouring out on us each day. And trust me, blessings come in both small & large packages these days...from a LONG afternoon nap to 7 1/2 hours of sleep in a night or from precious friends bringing over dinner to a day with NO plans whatsoever...Hubby & I are certainly learning to appreciate the little things. And maybe the littlest thing we are loving most of all is our precious baby girl...what more could we ask for in this incredible thing called life?