The early days of being a new mom are so tough. No one can ever tell you how hard it is to have a newborn and you don't know how hard a new human being can be until you have one of you own. You have lofty dreams while you're pregnant of having this "dream" baby that sleeps through the night, a baby that smiles and coos and never cries...then, real-life hits and you look at this precious being that is totally your responsibility. I couldn't wait for this mommy thing to become easy...

Eh, it's still not easy 10 months in but the effort is totally worth the rewards. I experienced one of these rewards yesterday while at the park doing a school supply drive with my mom's group. Cooper was in a swing and was smiling and giggling so loudly as he would swing towards and then swing away. My heart hurt as I looked at him. I love him so much that sometimes I don't know how my heart can make it.


His smile is like a burst of sunshine! He can be driving me crazy when he's fighting a nap and he can give me one of those smiles and it's just about all I can do to just not bring him back down to the living room to play. The way he laughs when I pretend that I'm going to eat his toes is music that I hope my ears always remember.


Motherhood is the hardest experience that I ever signed up for but is the greatest journey all wrapped into one.