Life Lessons My One Year Old Has Taught Me.

I can safely say I feel like the birth of my son was like witnessing a miracle coming into my life. We had been waiting for him for 3 years and he was so worth every moment of tears, fear, heartache and pain that we went through because he is such a blessing in our lives. I now know that I was meant to be his mom and I needed to go through all the struggle so I could get to him. His birth was magic, that changed our lives forever. Going through all the up's and down's of pregnancy and labouring was like nothing else I have ever experienced. It was extremely painful and yet the most incredible experience of my life that I would gladly do over and over again to see that little face. When people ask me about my labour and delivery the best way I can describe it was that it felt like an out of body experience. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, and yet it felt magical, and when it was over, I literally felt like superwoman! I'm sure any mom's reading this can relate, I felt like I could conquer the world. Never have I ever felt so empowered as a women and proud of myself. What my body just did was insane, literally crazy, a human being just came out of my body!! HAHA The fact that we can create little humans and then safety deliver them is mind blowing.... Right? Or is that just me? ;)

One thing I've noticed through is that a lot of women don't talk about the learnings and lessons they had through their pregnancy, and/or delivery so I want to share a few of mine with you in hopes to help some other mama's to be out there. ;)

Lesson 1. Keep an open mind - I never had a birth plan or set expectations of how I wanted it to all go. I surrendered fully to the process and only had one request. Whatever they needed to do to safely deliver my son I was okay with. I was open to an epidural, a natural birth, C section, I didn't care I just wanted him brought into this world safe and sound.

Lesson 2. Remain in a state of peace with your choices - I truly feel like because I was so open and at peace with my choices is why I had the most amazing (and painful, lets get real) delivery. I ended up having my son completely natural and laboured for 22 hours. BUT the majority of this time was bearable pain, I was walking around, eating, talking etc...it was the last 8 hours that were intense.

Lesson 3. - Have a solid birth partner by your side - My husband was the only person I wanted in the delivery room because he is my rock, he stays calm when I'm not and he knows how to keep me feeling strong and confident. There were moments when I didn't think I would make it through and wanted to give up, so you need a person who can be your strength in those tough times and keep you going. If I can make one massive recommendation it would be to not have anyone in that room who stresses you out or annoys you even in the slightest. Its the last thing you need! ;)

Lesson 4. - Enjoy every moment, your baby is coming into this world. The best advice I received was from my sister. She said "the pain will be the worst you have ever felt but you are having a baby and once its done, all the pain instantly disappears and your baby is here" I kept that with me and it made all the difference.

Now since having my son, the lessons haven't stopped. He has taught me more in the last 14 months then I have learned my entire life. My trust and faith is tested daily, patience put on display and the lessons in surrender have been massive! He has helped me let go of what I can’t control and helped me assess what is important enough to keep in my life. I’ve learned to let go of what is not worth our time because time is one of the most valuable assets we have.

Here are just a few of the lessons my little man has taught me so far.

Patients - Patience is everything. Dirty clothes, diapers, and dishes aren't the end of the world. Be grateful for every little thing, even the tantrums, because everything and every day is a blessing
Trust - Honestly being a mom is a hard job, the amount of trust you need to have in yourself and the choices you make for your child is massive. The stress of raising a little human is tough and even harder when everyone has an opinion on what is best. Personally my husband and I ignore everyone else (to an extent) and do our thing. What choices we make for our child that we feel are the most beneficial for him are our choices and no one else's.
Unconditional Love - This I know every parent can relate to. The love you feel for your child is like nothing I have ever felt before. We love each other no matter what and that love is unconditional.
I'm perfect in his eyes - He loves me no matter what. He doesn't care if I've gained a few pounds, if my hair is a mess, or that I don't wear name brands. He loves me because I cuddle with him when he is tired, or sick, kiss his booboos, and play with him.
Trust your intuition - You will always know what is right for your child, listen to what your intuition is telling you always. It will never lead you a stray.
Its okay to ask for help! - This was a huge lesson for me, I thought I had failed as a parent feeling like I needed help. "I'm his mother, I should be able to do it all" No, thats just a story I was telling myself, the truth is, asking for help is the strongest thing a parent can do. My husband and I were no good to him as parents if we were running on empty.
Faith/Belief - My son has given me a focus that makes the possibilities for us endless. I am confident and assured in the things I am now pursuing; there is not one bone of self-doubt in my body. If I fail, I just learn from it, reassess, and readjust because success is inevitable.

I'm looking forward to what else I'll learn on this journey of mama-hood, especially with baby #2 on the way! I'm sure things will get interesting! Stay tuned!

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XO Andrea