Oh, those hormones.

A sure fire way to bring out the most sappy and sanguine feelings you might ever have is to have a newborn. It’s been all I can do the past few days not to cry in pure elation at EVERY thing that my children say or do. I’ve cut it off at just three or four times a day – lest I become a blubbering fool.

In reality the hormones that course through one’s body post pregnancy are incredibly surging and incredibly maternal. I’ve never felt a stronger need to protect my children, to nurture them, to provide for them, to be their mother above and beyond all else. Couple that with their cute and adorable faces and I melt at the mere drop of a “Mommy.” Nostalgia has gotten the better of me and I’ve been reminiscing about the newborn days of my first two blessings and realizing just how incredibly fast they have grown up. It’s making me want to send Moxie to some sort of scientific farm to preserve her newborn-ness for as freakishly long as possible.

It seems that everything my kids have done in the past few days I have found incredibly moving and heartwarming. 

I took these pictures on Saturday, one of our last days as a family of four (see, I can’t even avoid wistful recollections in looking back at Saturday). 

Cutter had asked to have a sleepover with Donovan, our black lab, in the living room. He and Scout went upstairs and brought down all of their sleeping wares and the three of us laid down and had a sleepover with Donovan in the middle of the living room floor. It was a sweet moment from a pure heart that I don’t want to forget, and I’m glad I caught on film. 

Later in the day Cutter was playing with his cars on the couch, a favorite everyday occurrence around here. He just looked so grown up, and now looking at this picture with another newborn in the house he looks OLD. It made me so proud to be his momma. I find myself looking at pictures of him in utter disbelief that he is growing into such a strong little boy, when I distinctly remember him weighing a mere 7 pounds, 3 ounces. 

Through it all I’ve just been overwhelmed by the utter blessings that have been showered upon me, and I’m thankful for each and every one of them. The tears may not stop for another few days as these hormones balance out, but I know for sure the determination to serve as mother to my household this year will undoubtedly underlie every decision that I make.