It took 2 inductions (neither of which worked) and a c-section to get her into the world. If I had known that she would scream at me for the next 8 months, I would not have complained about her lateness.
It's so strange to remember what a difficult baby she was in the beginning. Everyone would tell me to feed her more, or co-sleep, or sleep train, or give her a bottle, or just let her nurse all day long. They didn't understand that she a) didn't sleep and b) she liked to scream. Some call it colic. Whatever it was, it wasn't fun.
But then, she said her first word at 6 months; pointed at the duck on Aleks' shirt and said "duck."
And weaned herself at eight months (oh, hello Ruby).
And then we had another baby in the house (one that actually slept and behaved like a normal newborn) and Maia was a non-stop chatter bug, having given up the screams for an extensive vocabulary.
Ten years ago.
Man, how is it that I'm still 27 and have a 10 year old?
(ok, maybe she did sleep a little bit)
Obviously, I don't know differently, but that challenging beginning as a parent, that baptism by fire, was probably just what I needed. A full immersion experience/life is turned upside down/you'll function on 4 hours of sleep a night for 8 months/nothing like what you expected start to parenthood.
Oh, but the young lady my daughter is becomming- it's a beautiful thing to watch.
My 10 year old girl still talks up a storm. She is constantly using words she's read in books, but doesn't quite know how to pronounce. And speaking of books, she told me she's read all the books in her school's library.
She is weird, in the best possible way.
Earnest and ethical.
Kind. Thoughtful. Has a great sense of humor.
She experiences life with all her senses. Her room looks like a bomb went off and yet she knows where each earring back/rock/bookmark is located.
She brings light to our family.
Happy birthday, my dearest. Those first 8 months were so worth it.
