Having your first baby is just all so new. It is a total life-changer. This was no different for me. It is basically the same for every parent. It’s the full-time, all the time, and every second care for an absolutely helpless human. It’s a major adjustment with a most demanding and precious responsibility given.

Your time is truly dedicated to that baby and their schedule so is not in synch with yours. This is especially true in the first couple months. The newborn months. We all hear it everywhere from parents on how hard these months are. This huge change. The coping with the lack of sleep. The soreness from childbirth… Though these are very real things for me, they go so much deeper than what is outwardly seen as hardships. For me, I’d actually say it enforces a much-needed life shift to the basic and simple; the best way to accomplish an uncomplicated life.

The hours fly, yet they are slow. There’s this loud stillness that just does not exist in any other chapter in your life. It’s a strong force that swiftly knocks you on your back, but allows you to see the stars.

The hours fly, yet they are slow. There’s this loud stillness that just does not exist in any other chapter in your life. It’s a strong force that swiftly knocks you on your back, but allows you to see the stars. The stars you never saw before because you were too preoccupied with going and doing. The big picture becomes visible through a clarified lens. I find that the overwhelming details of errands and superficial frustrations seem to dissipate after I have a baby. I let go of the non-essential and cling to the most essential. My time is so limited, I can only focus on needs. For me, that’s sleep, food, and care for my children. Sometimes I like to shower and brush my teeth, but some days that’s just a novelty. You see, I don’t have time for all the headaches of the worldly politics and the frivolous headlines. They don’t dwell in my thoughts enough for me to form near as many opinions as I did before. My focus is straight on my family and what the best use of my time is.

Having a baby is kind of like camping; taking on the essential and being in the presence of nature’s majesty. It is a recharge from the world so you can focus on what truly matters most. That baby. Your family.