Lauren's Laughter

Ethan laughed for the first time when he was seven weeks old. Hailey laughed at two months. I have been patiently waiting to hear Lauren's first laugh, and now that she is 3 1/2 months old I started to worry since she hadn't done it yet. She is a very alert baby and smiles constantly, but she has not been very verbal at all. Tonight I was lying on the couch and she was on my chest and we were "talking". Then out of no where I did something that I guess she thought was funny and this little grunt escaped from her. Then I did the funny thing again and she gave me a real, undeniable laugh. So of course I did it again and again, each time making her laugh get bigger. I screamed for Cody to get in there and he came in and heard it too. It brought tears to my eyes. I think I could have ten kids and never get tired of each milestone. It is so incredibly special and such a reminder of what miracles babies are.

A friend in Texas sent this to me in an email today and it hit home for me. Few truer words have ever been spoken.

Before I was a Mom

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.