8 life changing months!

Wow! It is so hard to believe that 8 months have already gone by. I was just looking through a photo book that I made of Ryan's first month, and it made me think of all the sweet, precious moments that we have had with him already. I have learned so so so much in these last months and I am amazed at how much things have changed and how I know that I will never be the same (in a good way). Of course, I am still learning every day more and more what it means to be a mom, and how I can serve God and my family and the world in my new role. Going through the experience of being a new mom has been amazing. Of course there have been some hard times....like being ridiculously tired, trying to get my pre-baby body back, and just not knowing what to expect, but the good times that we have had FAR outweigh any of the struggles. I love love love his sweet smiles when I come to get him from his crib, how he laughs at the goofy sounds I make, watching him explore the world and learn new things daily, comforting him when he is upset or teething and just taking joy in the amazing miracle that our God has created.

Some things that I have learned that I want to remember, and although I would say I wished that I had heard before I had him....I don't know if I would've listened :), it takes the experience of having a baby to learn some of these lessons.
      -books are a great resource, but your God-given mother's instinct is best....trusting my intuition has been when I feel the most confident.
      -every baby is different! It's so fun to see what other babies are doing at Ryan's age, but just because he may or may not be doing the same thing doesn't mean anything. Each baby has their own time-table, enjoy the process. :)
      -Yes, life is different. There are some things that will get put on 'hold' for now...but how fun to figure out your new life as a family of three!
       -You will never ever sleep the same again...I'm sure one day I may get to sleep through the night, but not for now....but I get to enjoy the sweet snuggles of my little baby that only last for a short time.
       -I have never understood the love that God has for us more than after I have had Ryan. I love that little boy more than life itself, and I have grown more in love with my husband through having him together, and more in love with the gift of life. God loves us more than any love that we can possess, and it is unconditional...nothing will ever stop Him from loving us, just like nothing will ever stop me from loving Ryan.
        -You need to figure out what works best for your family. It doesn't matter what the books say, or what others do... God will give you the wisdom to do what's best for your situation.

And, now for a time of reminiscing. What a privilege to be Ryan's mom. I cannot be more thankful for such an amazing husband as well to share the joy of parenthood. He has been such a gift of encouragement and love as I am pursuing mommy-hood as my main career right now. I love watching my two boys interact and I know that Jason is the best role-model for Ryan...so excited to watch their relationship grow as time passes. Ok, I'm getting a little off-track....here are some of my favorite pics from these past 8 months:

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months (really...that just sounds crazy!)- He had fun with his oatmeal and prunes :) 

I cannot thank the Lord enough for our little gift. Loving every moment! Definitely good times! 

Because He first loved us, 

Alicha <3