With each season passing we’re watching our little ones growing; paying no mind to whats actually happening. From their facial expressions changing, to their speech and attitudes we briefly forget that our babies are growing up… Soon those late nights staying awake for the late night ta-ta calls to staying up waiting for those sneaky teenagers to sneak back in the house.
I remember going into labor with Elleanna, waking Geraldo up at 4am after being uncomfortable for hours (weeks actually stubborn little girl), to walking around the hospital as Geraldo did his squats with me and made me laugh with the pain. Seems like yesterday…
I remember Geraldo video-taping us while in labor… Right after my epideral he started filiming the room and saying this is where you were born… I’m about to be a dad in about two hours. My response “No sooner then that!” and us going back and forth for a moment… “Ok in an hour..”… “No babe less then 30 minutes!” “Ok see you in ten minutes Elleanna!” and guess what he called it at 11:07am he predicted ten minutes and at 11:17am Elleanna was laying on my chest, chubby cheeks with her ten toes, ten fingers and crying. The overwhelming feeling of tears, watching as “first time dad” held his daughter. I remember my mother coming in and saying I can’t believe you already had her and crying. My mother was there for Isabella’s birth all 39-40 hours of labor! She was there when I didn’t get that first moment of relief, of being a mommy while Isabella was rushed off to be checked.. This time I had a man, we had daddy to cut the cord and to hold my hand and “talk” me through the contractions. (Though we really need to work on his talking skills for our next baby if there is one because I don’t think I can go through “Talk to me please!!!” “What about?” “ANYTHING TALK!” “Whats your favorite movie?” How that didn’t take my mind off the pain, I tried so hard to not take medications.. For both children I waited as long as I could 27 hours with Isabella and until 6 cm with Elleanna after weeks of being 4cm.
I remember Elleanna being weighed, my reaction of “She’s a chubby baby!” though to find out she was about the same as Isabella but also shorter. 18 inches and 6.14 pounds our rainbow baby had arrived.
I remember watching her sleep, co-sleeping with her for months… Watching her lay on her father for hours, now we’re chasing her around the house as she is walking running with no help. I’m hearing “Mama and dada…” and watching as her sister teaches her everything. I can’t believe it’s been a year. Not only a year of firsts but a year of breastfeeding; we’ve grown closer then you could ever imagine! Though I didn’t see myself breastfeeding then once she was on after birth I didn’t see it lasting more then a month… Then three… Six… Nine… A year and still going strong.
The months it took for us to pick out the perfect name, the photos of Daddy talking to his Princess, holding my stomach as proud as can be. The moments of Isabella checking on her sister in my tummy and whispering secrets. I’ll be cherishing those forever. As the weeks grew closer to Elleanna’s first birthday depression set in not only for the fact my baby is now turning into a toddler but also for the fact that we now are in Maryland the people I always imagined at her birthday we had left in Florida. Sadly my cousin in-law wouldn’t be able to take first birthday photos, my parent in-laws wouldn’t be helping smash cake in her face or her uncles and aunts be able to help set up for a birthday bash. My depression of taking them away at such an important part of her life (though she won’t remember it) hurt us. Knowing the grandparents and aunts and cousins that were there for the pregnancy, showing up to meet her after she was born hurt me. We keep telling ourselves well have a large party when we get home, everything will be perfect but my father and his wife knew it was upsetting. Inviting us along to New York was a way to be there for her first birthday. To let people enjoy, meet and be part of this special moment..
So we began our travels a van full of eight as packed as sardens, with birthday decor and luggage, snacks and children we set off to make the best first birthday we could…
More of Elleanna’s first birthday and our amazing dresses to come…
Melissas-Miles 