A year ago my daughter was 2 months old. She was never a tender, cooing baby and I was never a picture perfect doting mother. We were both exhausted, foreign to each other and wondering when will this babyhood insanity will stop for both of us. Around that time I saw a dad on a street who had 14 month old twins. We talked briefly and I remember asking him "When will I feel better, I mean... much better?". He answered "After about a year". In horror, his words lingered in my mind. At that point my life was on hour to hour basis. I simply couldn't imagine even making it through a year, forget enjoying anything after. Well, here I am, I survived to write about it. So, for all the mothers, who are crying in the shower, exhausted, sore and sleep-deprived a few months after birth...top 10 differences a year make.
1. They sleep. Forget 5 hour definition of "sleeping through the night" created obviously by a non parent. Majority sleep 11-12 hours STRAIGHT.
2. After a year you will "know" your kid, following their signs like a well studied map. No longer will you need to watch Oprah to identify your baby's cry. They will show you what hurts and what do they want.
3. They eat like humans and I strongly believe that if you don't give them more than 2 choices at one meal (if that), they will learn to eat anything you give them. If the sweetest thing they ever have is an apple, an apple would become a treat to them.
4. They walk. I heard people tell me "Enjoy this stage, because once they walk...". Are you kidding me? I love this "walking thing". No longer do I have to bend over like a human pretzel while holding both of her hands... or watch her get sad following running kids on the playground with her eyes, instead of playing with them... or panic about what to do with her, when I am struggling to open my apartment door.
5. They have enough attention span to watch a cartoon or read a book or simply entertain themselves for an hour. And just you wait until the day that she will bring you a book and then climb into your lap. Your heart will simply melt.
6. They follow simple directions. Only a few more months until "Go get mommy a bottle of wine from the corner store.":)
6.5. Speaking of wine. You start having it again... over dinner, with your husband, with your friends. Then you look in the mirror and start recognizing that woman that you once were with clear laughing eyes, beautiful smile and matching shoes.
7. They have personality and it's nothing that you might expect. While my daughter already has my dry sense of humor by laughing at the dog bumping her head on the wall, she also puts scarfs around her neck to play "princess" (something that truly horrifies me).
8. You are undeniably and enthusiastically their favorite person EVER and they let you know that constantly by hiding behind your legs or squeaking in delight every time you enter a room.
9. They hug in the purest, most sincere way and believe me, you will know the difference between requested hug and the hug they give you just because.
10. They make you want to have another one, something that you swore you will never do again.
