Different in All the Best Ways
Before babies are born, we examine their ultrasound photos, looking closely at their little faces and wondering what they’ll look like when we meet. (Spoiler: If you’re like me, they’ll look just like your husband.)
Then they’re born, and you see their sweet face for the first time. (Or, in my case, you see a tiny clone of your husband’s face emerge from the top of the surgical drape, which is, yes, a bit disarming at first.)
Anyway, you see their sweet little face and marvel at how you – YOU – have just created what is quite literally the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. And it’s magical – it’s really magical.
But seeing what your baby looks like on the outside is only part of the magic.
Over the last 11 months, I’ve watched our second-born begin to grow into her own person, with her own character and individuality and even her own sense of humor. I’ve also gotten to see both of my children together and how they’re already complementing each other. Similar, but different, too – different in all the best ways.
I won’t compare or label them – my sister was a “purple girl” and I was a “blue girl,” and it’s taken me 34 years to dare wear a lavender top. But I will say this: While meeting and holding my babies for the first time was rewarding, getting to know them individually has been beyond compare.
I realize this all seems a little over the top. Can you still say “Hormones!” at 11 months postpartum? But I guess grownups can have big feelings, too, and as my youngest’s first birthday is coming fast, I can’t help but reflect on the past year. It’s like I’m standing triumphant on top of the mountain, and the wind’s blowing in my hair – in the good way, not the in-your-face way. And I’m seeing how far we’ve come, and remembering how worried I was about this transition and if I had enough to give, and I’m realizing now that everything is alright. Better than alright, even.
Because while sharing attention hasn’t been easy (for any of us), sharing love has come naturally. Love hasn’t divided; it’s multiplied. And it’s extraordinary. And stronger than ever. And different – different, in all the best ways.
-H
