One year of being a mummy

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

So baby H turns one, ONE, a whole 12 months old this weekend.

I have been a mummy for one year. I can’t believe it, it’s been the quickest year ever. So many emotions are running though my head as I write this, happiness at my gorgeous little girl, so much love for my husband who is the best husband in the world, he’d do anything for us, pride and amazement at how much her grandparents love her, it’s just incredible to see, awe at how in love with her her aunties are. Everyone has new qualities, we have an amazing family and I cannot wait to see my parents play with her again and have real cuddles. H poking their faces on Skype or trying to stroke their faces is brilliant to watch, but not quite the same! In fact she actually tried to give my mum her ball last week… “Can granny have your ball please?” was met with the ball being thrust at the iPad screen!

I’ve loved every second of being a mummy, from the moment H appeared, hubby and I were eager to have ‘us’ time. It was amazing, I’ll always remember the moment just minutes after she was born watching him, us just looking at out little daughter lay on my chest, her teeny finger nails (yes, I actually said “look at her finger nails”, needless to say they had to be trimmed only a couple of days later), her gorgeous hair, eyelashes (for some reason I didn’t even consider a baby would have eyelashes!)… I remember hubby sitting cuddling her after I’d fed her for the first time. The love on his face, cradling her, protecting her.

Ever since those first moments, in the very early morning, when every one else was sound asleep in bed, we’ve been a unit working together. At some points it was hard, but I’d say they were really in the first month when we had the stress of H’s tongue tie and were on autopilot looking after H, not having any time to ourselves. Not having a single nice-meal-stay-in-date night. Once we realised we needed us time too, we made an effort to have nice meals, we probably kept GU dessert pots in business with the number we’ve eaten!

Over the months that followed we’ve seen many many new developments, most making us smile at our little Baby H. Her smiling at 6 weeks, her watching her cat play it’s music, starting to kick her toys, rolling over at 14 weeks, crawling at 7 months (to the day), cruising & pulling herself up by 8 months, walking holding our hands at 9 months, standing no hands at 9 months too, and stumbling her few steps in the last few weeks. She’s still eager to hold our hand as she walks, but she doesn’t need to. Milestones met with cheers, smiles, amazement, photo taking, ‘ahhhh where’s the camera’ moments.

This year I’ve also loved my maternity leave, spending time precious time with little H, coaxing her along, watching her build towers, say her first ‘words’, crawl and of course send daddy pictures at work. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my time with her, watching her really develop and her emerging cheeky little personally shine through. She really is cheeky, she LOVES to make us laugh.

Through all this happiness and amazement, I’m sad, I’m sad I only have a few days left of saying, a year ago you were a bump in mummy’s tummy, you’d kick he bed every night when I led down, you’d kick and punch at music of when I got in the car to come home from work.
But let’s end on a happy note, let’s face it turning one is (very scary for mummy and daddy), but such a happy occasion. What have I loved most this year:

1. Baby H’s first laugh, 16 weeks old and laughing away hysterically at daddy
2. Our first family holiday
3. Seeing our family love Baby H so much, cherishing every moment, every cuddle, loving every video and picture
4. Breast feeding H, at times it looked like it wasn’t meant to be, but perseverance paid off and I loved my baby cuddling in my arms
5. Hubby saying “you’ve just made my day better” when seeing a video of H playing the xylophone. Hubby’s joy at coming home each day and his love of putting H to bed and daddy cuddles. His joy at H saying “Ha Da” when he comes home.
6. H standing at her activity table and raising her arms above her head, so pleased wi herself for not holding one! Then clapping at herself while still stood! Her joy was infectious.
7. Our house move, we have so much room for H to play, it’s our real family home and I love it!
8. Our first trip to Scotland, taking H to some of the places we often go, walks along the river.
9. Hubby and I’s first night out, we went to the pub two minutes from home, it was fun, and nice and very odd! It was nice having ‘us’ time.
10. My NCT friends, those coffees and cakes really help!! Their support and the fact we had each other going through the same leaps, he same wonder weeks, he same developments really really helped. It’s amazing seeing the baby’s play together, you can really tell they’ve know each other their whole lives.
11. My friend E, who has been amazing, we meet up for coffee at the drop of a hat, she’s such an amazing support and seeing H with her son is so funny. They play so well together, they’re so so cute.
12. Swimming, Baby H has always loved swimming, but lately she just has a massive grin on her face the whole time. She really loves it. I only have to say “splash splash” and she smiles.
13. Tatty Bumpkin, this is a baby yoga sensory class we do. H has a great time and her little friends do too. They love the Explorers class no what they’re all walking and crawling, it’s been great for her development as we often do activities like moving from under a scarf, moving a scarf to get to what’s underneath, putting a ball in and out of a cup, up and down.
14. Bounce and Rhyme at the library. We started this when H was 6 weeks and she does really enjoy it. There is a song at the end that she knows and loves. Now she’s crawling like in a marathon we don’t go as often, but is recommend it to everyone, even if all baby does is sleep.
15. Seeing H explore, determined to do new things, master new skills, and so eager to learn. She really is amazing, and I’m so proud of her.

So baby girl, as you turn one, you’ve achieved so much already, I can’t wait to see your next developments as you toddle through the next year. Though, let’s hope it doesn’t fly by quite so quickly!

Lynne x