A little over a year ago, I celebrated my first Mother’s Day; my baby was merely one week old. I was awestruck and simply overwhelmed with all that motherhood had in store for me. A year later, I’m still awestruck and perhaps even more overwhelmed. I love being a mom and am glad it has been added to the many labels I have accumulated over the years. Though family and friends have let me know that I am doing a good job, several questions and concerns are constantly on my mind. I am sure this is only natural, but I really wish there was a way to just get a glimpse into the future to make sure my actions are to the benefit, not the detriment, of my little girl. In the meantime, I will continue to try to be the best mom I can for my daughter and hope that she knows how much I love her and how much I love being her mother.
All the best,
Tanya
Category Archives: Baby Musings
My Baby Love
Though most people associate Valentine’s Day with romance, I cannot help but think about the love I have for my baby girl Quinn. I love being able to work from home three days a week so that I can look into those big brown eyes and listen to that cute giggle all day. It truly is amazing how much love I can have for a person I’ve only known for a little over nine months. Observing her and seeing what she loves as she explores the world around her allows me to have a greater appreciation and love for my surroundings and what I am capable of doing. Thanks so much Quinn for for giving me the opportunity to see the world from your perspective. Though it is a lot to process for the both of us, I am loving every minute of it!
All the best,
Tanya
Baby Your Scratch Left Me Itching for Answers
Imagine purchasing a brand new car: a beautiful, shiny, sweet ride. How upset would you be if you saw a scratch on your prized possession shortly after purchasing it? Now imagine that this was not a car but your beautiful, brand new baby with her first major scratch on that sweet face of hers. This is what I endured last week with my eight month old. She’s had tiny scratches before as a result of her fingernails growing so quickly and has even given her father and me some good scratches. But this was the first time she had a scratch about an inch and a half long, on her face no less, and I can’t figure out where it came from.
I noticed a faint mark above her eyebrow that did not quite look like a fingernail scratch when she woke up from her nap, and it worsened as the day progressed. As it worsened, so did my guilt. I felt like a negligent mom and then thought about how daycare workers must feel when a scratch or mark seems to have “appeared from out of the blue” on a child, especially a child who is unable to explain what happened. Was I not keeping a close enough eye on Quinn? My husband tried to reassure me that I am doing a good job, but my anxiety got so bad that I was ashamed and nervous to visit my mother fearing that she would be upset and admonish me for not knowing what happened to Quinn. When my mom saw Quinn, my heart began to race; what was she going to say? “Oh, I see Quinn got a little scratch. It’ll heal before you know it. This is the first of many more little bumps and bruises. Just keep an eye out for her. She’s a real mover!” That’s all she said. She didn’t pick Quinn up and hold her tightly saying, “What did you let happen to my grand baby?” She didn’t question my abilities as a parent. Though I certainly will be even more attentive with Quinn now that she’s crawling and pulling up to a standing position every chance she gets, my mom’s words made me feel much better about not solving the mystery of Quinn’s scratch. Now, less than one week later, it is barely noticeable.
I’m sure I am not the only parent who has experienced this and will not be the last, but I felt the need to share my experience with others and say, “Please don’t be too hard on yourself if…no when your little one gets that first major scratch.”
All the best,
Tanya
This Day is a Happy Birth Baby!
Baby Quinn and Mommy Tanya
Hooray, it’s my baby’s “eight month” birthday. It’s also the birth of my second blog! (Welcome, and please stop by again) For the past four years, I’ve been on a journey filled with epiphanies, musings and even a little creative writing here and there on my blog Journey of Anonomz. But I noticed ever since my daughter was born many of my posts have been about her or what I’ve been learning as a first-time mother. So I thought why not start a second blog dedicated to getting this motherhood thing just right.
At my blog, you will not only find my daily baby and mommy musings, but I will occasionally provide posts on DIY projects I am working on. I’ll have candid discussions on things that have been working or not working for me as a new mommy. There will also be reviews on various baby items and products that I’ve found to be quite beneficial or not so much.
My hope is to not only help new parents by sharing my experience but to receive insight from well-seasoned parents as I leave the crawling stage and continue to embark on this journey of motherhood taking baby steps. I hope you’ll join me and that we can have some fun along the way.
All the best,
Tanya
Mommy's Baby Steps 