One year on, and what a year! The first year of my little guy’s life came, conquered me and disappeared again in what seemed like a mere flash. It was a year of firsts, a year of challenges, and a year of moments of pure, unadulterated joy.

It was also a year of learning things. While I didn’t attend any established learning institution in this time, I have learned more in the past 12 months than I have in probably the entire half-decade prior to it.

I have learned that babies not only come with eyes, ears, toes, sometimes hair and the very occasional tooth… they also come with personalities. Blank slate shmate. It’s all there, ready to burst out and flourish if you give it half a chance. I didn’t realise this initially, of course, so imagine my bewilderment on expecting to nurture a quiet, gentle baby who enjoyed observing their surroundings politely (eg. me) and finding myself juggling an active, noisy, exuberant boy who can’t get enough of life and simply must be involved in everything, especially dirt, Tupperware cupboards and a ruckus of older children.

I have learned to look at other people and think that they were a one-year-old once, like my little boy, toddling around with little chubby legs, marvelling at the world. And it’s probable that someone loved them the way I love my boy. And it’s not so hard to feel kind.

I have learned to cherish moments. Someone once said to me that raising children is one part pleasure, two parts pain. I’m not sure I’d say this has been my experience so far (although one cannot underestimate the human being’s capacity to forget things like extreme sleep deprivation and the desire to do what you want, when you want). However, I didn’t have to think twice about what they said next; about motherhood being a series of moments of joy. You live from one precious or cuddly or hilarious or soul-stirring moment to the next. I have learned that these moments have the power to make you pick up those dirty clothes, the power to clean that mashed banana off your shoe and get ready to get up at 6am and do it all again … and the power to redeem all the rest in an instant.

I have learned that nothing lasts forever. Even if it feels like you will never get more than 3 hours sleep at once again; this too shall pass. And holding a precious, tiny newborn baby in your arms doesn’t last either. Babyhood is a blip, it lasts one crazy, beautiful year…

And what a year!

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