Confession: I’m a new mom, and I get high all the time. It’s easy. It’s even legal. One good look into Babydude’s gorgeous hazel eyes, and this mama is riding the train all the way to Oxytocin Station. The hit of joy I get from locking eyes with my sweet babe is just one of the daily benefits of motherhood.
Next on the awesome list: nursing burns mad calories. I know easy postpartum weight loss is not every woman’s experience, but luckily it’s been mine. Never before in my life have I been able to eat what I want and still lose weight.
Then there’s the pleasure of watching Babydude acquire new skills, seeing the pure thrill he gets when he feeds himself for the first time, or waves hello, mesmerized at the wondrous working of his own hands.
I love my baby infinitely, but one of the best surprises of motherhood has been discovering how much he loves me, too. When Babydude first wakes from a nap, finding himself alone in his crib, he is naturally sad. But when I enter the room, the sadness dissipates and he becomes a grinning bundle of furiously pumping arms and legs, his joy at seeing me expressed in every limb.
There will come a day when it will take more than my mere presence to make Babydude happy. But in the meantime, I’m going to enjoy these little moments while I can.
