Not all moms are miserable...

Today, [tomorrow] I am linking up with Kelly from Kelly's Corner. A blog I have read for several years now and feel like I know her. She is a wonderful inspiration to all and I suggest to anyone to check her out. This link up is for new mom's with children under one. I think I can qualify. (As does one of my truest, dearest friends over at Autumn All Year - you should check her out too!)

1/2 birthday party announcement photo

I always wanted an October baby. I don't know why. I just did. That's where it all started. The negativity... "You can't just 'have' an October baby." "It will take you months or even years to get pregnant..." 

 I got my positive pregnancy test on February 13th, 2011. Guess what that meant... If God has this planned for me, I am having my October baby. I was thrilled. Ready to tell the world. I had never been more excited in my life. 

Well... the negativity just got worse. "You're gonna be so sick." "You better sleep now." Or the infamous "just wait!" (it still makes me cringe to hear that one...) "You'll never sleep in again." "You're going to get huge." "I used to look like you until I had kids." "She's your first, you will go at least a week past your due date." "Oh, you're gonna be pregnant in the summer!" "Oh, you will never be able to go out to eat again." "You will never have alone time with your husband again."

If my mom taught me anything in life... in which, well- she has taught me a lot. But one thing I have always stuck to is to stay positive. You have to be positive in life and you will be much happier.

I would always smile and nod at the comments. "I was a great baby" I would respond to some. "I slept through the night the first night home," I would say to others... with only negativity following. 

I had an incredible pregnancy. No morning sickness, little weight gain and little to no pain until the last week or so. Even then, it was bearable. Everyone insisted on telling me how much worse it was going to get... 

I didn't let it bring me down. I stayed positive. I didn't have the best labor and delivery per say, but we got her here. On October 24th, one day shy of her due date. Our not so little 8 lb 9.5 oz, wonderful baby girl. God gave us the most wonderful gift we had ever been given. 

5 day old, Riley Quinn

I wont say we haven't had small battles to take on (breast feeding, reflux, allergies, car seat...) But I will say we have been SO blessed. We overcame it all with positive attitudes and happiness. Our daughter was holding her head up in the hospital bed to look at me the moment she was handed to me, rolling over at 1 week old. She has slept through the night since about 4 weeks old. Even the first night home she was sleeping 4-5 hours straight at a time. We go out to eat probably twice a week if not more. We have since she was 1 week old. Nothing has changed in our life for the "bad." We go about our daily lives but instead of two of us, there are three. People at our "regular" restaurants comment on how she is the best baby they have ever had come into their restaurant. She is happy all the time. Truly- 98% of the time, our child is happy, smiling, giggling or monkeying around... If she is sleepy, she will sometimes get a bit fussy and rub her eyes to tell us it is time for a nap/bed. She puts herself to sleep at night without a single whimper. Even when she got her two bottom teeth, she was slightly "fussy" if you could have even called it that. When she is sick, you can tell she isn't "herself" but even when she had a cold she was still just as happy and smiley at everyone. Her name fits her so well. "Smiley - Riley"

"smiley - Riley"

We STILL get the negative comments. "She's good now, wait until she is a teenager." "Wait until she is teething..." I don't understand the negativity. Is it jealousy? 

Sure, everyone doesn't have it this easy. Sure, some women have horrible pregnancies, colicky babies, etc. But why tear down others who are only embarking on this wonderful journey? I like to share my positive experience with everyone and even if it weren't positive, I would wish that it were for others. I wouldn't try to make such an incredible journey such as motherhood seem anything less than amazing to ANY new mother.

I hope I can instill the same values in my daughters life as my mother has in mine. To stay positive and think positive no matter what the outcome. I pray for others who have a hard time doing that. I pray that I can continue to do so when things get tough. I pray for those who deal with jealousy and deceit on a daily basis and feel they must bring others down to better themselves.

6 months old

For anyone out there who is about to embark on this journey- hold your head up high. Don't listen to the negativity. Brush it off and think positively. Being a mother is the most incredible journey you will ever take. I couldn't imagine anything better in my life. Ever.

If you think and act in a positive manner, your baby will read you that way. I truly think that has a lot to do with it. 

~let go laughing~