Newborns...Exciting and Exhausting!

I had a work trip to Charlotte, North Carolina this week and got to spend the night with one of my best friends, Danielle, and her newest addition, Cole!  He was the sweetest, most adorable little boy in the world!  I fell in love with him!  Danielle has fallen into the mommy role quite well...I'm so happy for her and Ken!  She looked great, was so happy and so, so, so tired!  It totally reminded me of that newborn stage.  It's exciting...it's new...and it's f'ing exhausting!!!

There is really no other way to explain those first two months or so of having a newborn.  It's this really bizarre time because you are so excited about a new baby and so in love it is unreal, but at the same time, it is just miserable and exhausting!  Sleep deprivation is brutal!!!

It was definitely worse with Kahn.  He wasn't gaining weight when he was first born so I had to feed him every 2 hours around the clock!  That meant setting an alarm in the middle of the night so I could wake up and feed him.  And breastfeeding takes a long time...so by the time I was done feeding him and changing his diaper, I had about an hour to sleep and then I had to do it all over again.  It was awful!  Olivia was a little better, but I didn't have the luxury of sleeping during the day since I was chasing a 19 month old around too, so I was still always tired.  Bottom line...the lack of sleep is just a killer!

Don't get me wrong, I'd do it over and over and over again because kids are so worth it so I am definitely not complaining.  I just don't want any first time moms to be caught off guard!  Prepare for one of the most amazing times in your life, but also prepare for utter exhaustion!

But it definitely gets better.  If it didn't, I would have stopped at one.  I mean, who in their right mind would do that again...right?  In my case, my kids were sleeping through the night relatively early.  And when I mean 'through the night', I don't mean 10pm to 6am...I mean 7pm to 7am!  And to this day I have great sleepers and I am so thankful!!

But even when I was up in the middle of the night and so tired and miserable and sometimes in tears...these little faces kept me going!  They were the sweetest, most cuddly, adorable babies in the entire world!  There is nothing that adequately describes the love you have for your kids and the sacrifices you will make on their behalf.  Honestly, I'd forego sleep altogether for them!

Kahn Gregory II born January 21, 2009

Olivia Kathryn born August 30, 2010

So, to my friend, Danielle...it gets easier and you'll be getting a full night of sleep before you know it!  Thanks for letting me spend some time with you and Cole.  He's amazing and I love seeing you so happy!  He's the luckiest little boy in the world to have you as his mom.  I love you!