Nine Months. The amount of time it takes for a baby to form fully in the womb of its mother. Nine months, two thirds of one whole year. In the grand scheme of things, it's really not all that long. When you are the carrier of the womb creating the new life, nine months seems like an eternity. During the nine months, well, you can read in a biology or anatomy book about what happens within the body of the mother carrying this new life. What you won't read in those books is the level of physical discomfort that mother endures. These discomforts are myriad from nausea, heartburn, water retention, pain all over the body, headaches/migraines, back pain, breast pain/tenderness. What you may also not read is the level of anxiety this mother has about the future life of the child she is seemingly effortlessly forming and growing within the depths of her womb, her garden. She is anxious that her baby is going to be "normal," not have birth defects like missing limbs, cross-eyes, physical and obvious abnormalities that would be shocking for most everyone to see. She also is anxious that her child is going to survive to full term. That first trimester is a scary time in the life of a mother creating a child. The third and final trimester creates the anxiety of wanting to meet this child she has been speaking to within her, who has been kicking her, having the hiccups, and creating all the above stated miseries.
Nine months. That's how long I had Hailey Rose growing within me. 26.5 hours of labor, including 2.5 hours of pushing...and Hailey Rose came into my world. Nine months created this beautiful, loud, little person. I had waited so long to meet this little girl, and she was finally here! Shit, what do I do now?
Nine months. This past Tuesday marked Hailey Rose's nine month "birthday." To think that nine months ago, I was a huge uncomfortable person toting around a little baby in my enormous belly...Now, I am a semi huge, not nearly as uncomfortable woman toting around a bubbling, babbling little nine month old baby girl, in my arms. Hailey has four teeth, two of which are still slowly emerging, she makes raspberries, she does that thing where you rub your finger on your lips and hum at the same time that makes the "Indian" noises sorta, she rolls from one place to the next, no crawling yet, she can stand up and take a few steps while holding my hands, she makes lots of noises/talk, but no discernable words yet. All in all, Hailey has become a beautiful delight in my life, laughing, babbling, playing and putting everything she can see and grab into her mouth.
Nine months old, and Hailey & I have been sleeping through the night for about 6 or 7 months now. Nine months old, and Daddy finally is not too scared to have Hailey for an entire day, as he did last Friday and Monday. Nine months old and about 26 pounds to carry around, little chunky baby rolls on her arms and legs and tummy and all.
18 months ago, I was falling in love with the idea of having a baby, at that time we hoped for a boy. 14 months ago, we found out we were having a girl, and instantly fell in love with that. I felt her kicking within me right around the same time, perhaps before...I was in love. I didn't have to see her face, I knew I was in love with her.
Now, nine months into Hailey Rose's young life, I love her more than I did nine months ago, more than when I saw her first image on ultrasound, on March 13, 2006...Am I crazy? Perhaps. But I know I am crazy about my little girl. Even when I am annoyed, slightly, because I am tired, or I didn't give myself enough time and am in a rush to get ready for work, I love my little Hailey.
Nine months. It's a long time, but not really, in the grand scheme of things. Do you think you could do it?
