Looking Forward and Back

addingon

This mom business is hard work! I was thinking earlier about how there are certain phases or things that I look forward to being done with when it comes to raising LO - even though I don't want to wish the time away. But, there are also certain things I can't wait to experience with LO!

So my questions are:

1. What part of raising LO are you looking forward to putting behind you?

2. What are you most looking forward to in their future?




I think mine are:

1. Bottles - I am a slave to the sink and bottle making station. I won't miss that!

2. Talking - I just can't wait to hear what's on LO's mind. Even if it's a tough subject, I want to know so I can try to help her understand...but mostly because I think she'll be a hoot!

karaelaine1991

1. What part of raising LO are you looking forward to putting behind you? - no more diapers and no more threat of a nighttime feeding session. LO actually has been pretty good about either only getting up once or STTN entirely, but still, I'm excited to really know for sure I won't need to get up to feed her.

2. What are you most looking forward to in their future? - there is so much I'm looking forward to! Just off the top of my head - learning to read, going to amusement parks (especially Disney World, Hershey Park, and Idlewild), first day of school, one day sharing my favorite TV shows with her (WAY down the road!), learning to walk, going to the zoo... so much happiness is in our future!

dancegurl1118

I don't want to put anything behind me. I want to freeze this moment with the poop and throw up and just live in it forever. I'll never get this squish back and I probably tear up at least 2x a day thinking about how I'll never get the day before back...clearly I'm a mess.

MaliKaela

@dancegurl1118 You are not a mess! This is such a special time and it goes really fast.

...that being said (lol), I can't wait for LO to sleep through the night and take scheduled, predictable naps. Mama seriously needs sleep to function.

I am loving this age with the big smiles, silent giggles, and coos. I know people think this is crazy and i'll probably eat my words but i'm looking forward to when LO can sit up on his own/crawl. I feel like he is just DYING to get moving and I almost think it will be easier because right now he has to be entertained whenever he is awake. At least when he's mobile he can investigate a little more on his own. Plus, I love when toddlers are standing there and they reach up for their mama's to hold them. I'm going to be the mama doing the holding!

aliciaspinnet

I won't miss having to feed him so often. Breastfeeding is going pretty well now but some days he wants to eat every 90 minutes and it makes it hard to get anything done.

Looking forward to so many things. Laughing, crawling (although I'll probably regret that one), talking. Bedtime stories when he's old enough to understand them. And all the places we'll go and things that we'll do with him. When he's old enough we want to take him to London and bring him around the science and natural history museums. And we want to show him the Lord of the Rings movies then take him to the Hobbiton set in New Zealand and blow his mind.

More than anything I think I'm looking forward to seeing who he's going to grow up into. What he'll look like, what he'll do. Who will he fall in love with. Will he have children of his own? There's so much ahead of us!

virginiaunicorn11

dancegurl1118 said:

I don't want to put anything behind me. I want to freeze this moment with the poop and throw up and just live in it forever. I'll never get this squish back and I probably tear up at least 2x a day thinking about how I'll never get the day before back...clearly I'm a mess.

Ditto! I feel like I'm finally in a good place, and he's sooo adorable right now.
I'd be glad to be past his hating the car seat, though.

For some reason, whenever I picture the future, I only think of teenage years. And I'm nuts but am hoping to be able to look forward to him being a big brother one day.

Dirty dirty hormones, man... ;-)

enigmaticjj

1. What part of raising LO are you looking forward to putting behind you?  I'm looking forward to her being able to nap without being worn or rocked/soothed a lot.  It would be awesome to be able to get stuff done and get some sleep myself during that time!
2. What are you most looking forward to in their future?  I'm looking forward to her laughing.  It's so cool being able to interact with her as she smiles and babbles.

mlindzz

I'm looking forward to putting behind me the days of LO's tummy pains and choking! aside from this, I'm soaking up every minute of it.

There is too much that I'm looking forward to... the deep belly laughing, the nighttime cuddles in cozy jammie's, turning the house upside down while making forts, getting soaked outside while playing in the rain, teaching him about sharing/giving and loving others, helping him explore new things and discover what he'll become passionate about, our deep conversations about life and our faith, and watching him grow into the man he'll become (Bah, someday he'll be a grown man. The thought blows my mind!).

Sammy K

I'll admit I don't love the baby stage. I much prefer when they can really interact and have a personality. With DS, after about 6 months, every day was more fun than the last. Other than that, I can't wait to get rid of car seats. Unfortunately, they need to stay in some kind of seat until 7 now.

I'm looking forward to see who she'll be. And I'm looking forward to taking her on adventures with her big brother - the zoo, bike rides, to the ocean, to the mountains, camping and all of the other fun family things we never did because we lived on a dairy farm.

aj1327

I'm with those of you who tear up thinking about how fast this was going. I actually cried yesterday because I was looking at pics from the hospital and realized how fast this was all going. If I had to choose something, I'll be glad when he stops fighting sleep and crying when he's tired. However, pre baby, I fought sleep all the time and get very grouchy when I'm tired so that day might never come.

I'm looking forward to so much. I can't wait to hear him laugh and talk. I also can't wait for him to reach his arms up for me to hold him.

chrissssn

I agree with @Sammy K there are things I don't love about the newborn stage - namely lack of sleep. I will be happy when we are on a more structured sleep schedule. Also, I'm really ready to be past the "I hate my car seat" stage. The crying in the car stresses me out big time.

I am so looking forward to...LO and DS1 playing together! The baby already adores his big brother. His eyes follow him around the room and he is always smiling and giggling at him. It melts my heart.

heidiiwa

Want to put behind me: the times he is upset and can't tell me what is wrong, and the times when he is not happy unless he is being held upright, bounced or walked around...because that is too exhausting for me, a 40 year old elderly lady, to continue for long! However, the sad fact is that, as out of shape as I am, once he gets mobile and starts running around on his own, I may never be able to keep up...

Looking forward to: him laughing, him crawling, watching him play on the playground, taking him to the zoo, watching him play with other children, talking with him for real, teaching him to play board games, reading him "chapter" books when he is old enough to understand them, baking cookies with him like my mom and grandma did with me, watching him open Christmas and birthday presents, so much more!

cbrtncanadian

I am in the camp of wanting to freeze time as well. I just want my little guy to stay this way as its so amazing and special...

But I look forward to discoveries such as this one...which I found on Facebook - lol

https://www.facebook.com/gina.g.brown.18/videos/1037729436812/

janat1717

I'd want to freeze time if it wasn't for the feeding mess due to ties. I don't think I'll miss pumping after nursing at all!! Then again making it through this will probably end up being one of my major accomplishments.

I can't wait to show him the world!!!

ChardeeMacDennis

One tiny thing I'm looking forward to: no more stinky cheese neck.

HayesRN13

ChardeeMacDennis said:

One tiny thing I'm looking forward to: no more stinky cheese neck.

Agreed.. Although in a way I love stinky cheese neck (weird huh).. He gets a bath every night but I hate pulling his chins up and back trying to clean it.. Poor fellow

Sammy K

Something else I'm looking forward to is teaching LO how to make lefse. It's a traditional Norwegian potato tortilla, for lack of a better description. Only the women in my family make it and I'm the only one from all the grandkids to learn. So I'm glad I have a daughter to pass it on to (but I will happily teach my son as well, there's just something about having another woman to carry on the tradition).

I don't eat ludefisk, in case you're wondering.

dancegurl1118

I made a gmail account for LO today and started sending emails, namely her birth story and some early day stories. I feel like time and the distinct memories are going to slip away so quickly that I want a place to put my letters to her. I also include pictures since who knows what sort of technology they'll have when she reads these in 15 years. Of course I sob as I write the emails...

karaelaine1991

dancegurl1118 said:

I made a gmail account for LO today and started sending emails, namely her birth story and some early day stories. I feel like time and the distinct memories are going to slip away so quickly that I want a place to put my letters to her. I also include pictures since who knows what sort of technology they'll have when she reads these in 15 years. Of course I sob as I write the emails...

That's a really good idea. I might have to do the same. Thanks for sharing!

virginiaunicorn11

kes166 said:

dancegurl1118 said:

I made a gmail account for LO today and started sending emails, namely her birth story and some early day stories. I feel like time and the distinct memories are going to slip away so quickly that I want a place to put my letters to her. I also include pictures since who knows what sort of technology they'll have when she reads these in 15 years. Of course I sob as I write the emails...

That's a really good idea. I might have to do the same. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, ditto! I send daily photos and quick updates to all the grandparents. I should just start cc'ing LO's account. Thanks!

ETA because I sound psycho: this "daily digest" began when LO was born, since we were out of country and it would be a few months before he got to meet everyone. Everyone enjoyed it (1-3 photos and a few sentences on what's new with LO'S development, and our moves, etc), and asked us to keep it up. I don't put it (or much) on social media or send it to anyone but LO's grandparents.

aj1327

dancegurl1118 said:

I made a gmail account for LO today and started sending emails, namely her birth story and some early day stories. I feel like time and the distinct memories are going to slip away so quickly that I want a place to put my letters to her. I also include pictures since who knows what sort of technology they'll have when she reads these in 15 years. Of course I sob as I write the emails...

I love this idea! Someone suggested that I start a blog but I don't love the idea of strangers looking at it!

HoosOnFirst

@dancegurl1118 how did you get around the age requirement? Just pick a different year with the birthdate?

karaelaine1991

hoodoll82 said:

@dancegurl1118 how did you get around the age requirement? Just pick a different year with the birthdate?

I just made one and I used my birthday - hoping I can change it for her down the road but if not, oh well!

dancegurl1118

@hoodoll82 I just used my birthday. I also figured it would be good to reserve an email address for her now as opposed to 10-15 years down the road. We have an incredibly common last name world wide and I didn't want her to be LOlastname928473828

KarasTwin

I'm so going to miss the way he sticks his butt out over my arm with his head on my shoulder when he's sleeping all snuggly and warm, his soft, warm little head is so sweet against my face. DH calls him his little tree frog.

I can't wait to blow bubbles and catch fire flies in the summertime. I'm looking forward to playing with play doh and coloring with him. Most of all I can't wait to see what kind of person he's going to be and supporting whatever he's interested in.