New Parenthood

by Catherine Ipcizade | More from this Blogger

My brother and his girlfriend are being induced tonight. They will soon be the proud parents to my niece, Abigayle Marie. I spoke to them tonight on the telephone and wanted to tell them so much. It was hard to hold back.

I wanted to tell them what it's like to hold your baby in your arms for the first time. To hear her first cry, to feel her fingers and her toes in your hands, to rest her head upon your chest. I wanted to tell them that the first few days of parenthood can be exhilarating, exhausting, and scary all at the same time, but that in time, they'll settle into a routine and feel "normal" again.

And I did tell them-some of it, knowing full well that to fully understand what I was saying, they'd have to first experience it for themselves.

I posted a thread on the forums recently asking people what they wish someone had told them before they had their baby. The answers were thought-provoking and lovely. A common theme was to wish someone had told them how fast children grow. It's true. I think having children is the quickest way to truly realize how fast life goes. My oldest is almost six. It feels like he was just a baby yesterday, like I blinked and here he is, ready for kindergarten. When I tell my parents that, they say, "How do you think it feels to know your "baby" is a mother herself now?"

If you've just had a baby or are going to have one in the future, you'll be given so much unwarranted advice that you'll likely learn to tune it all out with time. But if there's one thing you remember, it should be that time passes. It passes quickly, and without warning. Moments are precious. They are also fleeting. So if you, like my brother, are preparing for parenthood, remember to cherish the moments, the stages, the "firsts," even the frustrations. All too soon your baby will move on to another phase of life and you'll look back and wonder where the time went.

I'll be thinking of my brother and his girlfriend tonight, as they enter the delivery room, not sure what to expect, with the mixture of exhilaration and sheer nausea filling their souls. I'll be thinking of them as they wait, wondering what their baby girl will look like, who she'll be, how it will feel to hold her. And I'll be thinking about them when they bring her home, and when they experience all the ups and downs of new parenthood. And I'll try, as hard as I can, not to tell them everything I've learned, because their journey is just beginning. And in time, they'll have their own stories to share, advice to give, and lessons to learn.

Learn more about Catherine Ipcizade

Cathy Ipcizade is 30 years old and currently resides in Southern California. Prior to coming to California she grew up in Arizona.

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