August 9, 2010

taking the good with the bad

Through every stage of Malcolm's life so far, I have noticed that for each negative experience, there is a positive one ...

You know, kind of like Newton's Third Law ("For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction") for mothers!

Negative: Enduring a good four hours of excruciating back labor (with no drug assistance)
Positive: Feeling like Superwoman for a good week after that ridiculous delivery

Negative: Being outnumbered two to one in the household
Positive: Having a "mama's boy" that completely adores you

Negative: Getting very little sleep due to nursing demands
Positive: Having that oh-so-lovable (and cuddly) snuggle time every two hours

Negative: More dirty diapers than seems humanly possible for such a small creature
Positive: The smiles that ensue while on the changing table

Negative: The strobe light that is the baby monitor cutting through the darkness of the bedroom
Positive: Hearing that sweet little sleepy sigh ... Or that giggle ... Or that sneeze ...

Negative: All the extra laundry!
Positive: Seeing that basket of clean and folded, tiny baby's clothes

Negative: Having a crabby, uncomfortable, drooly baby during teething
Positive: The cuteness of a single-toothed smile

Negative: Making "raspberries" with a mouth full of baby food
Positive: How cute those "raspberries" look (even if they are messy)

Negative: Perpetual dirty knees and hands ... And the ability to get into EVERYTHING
Positive: Watching the glee on your child's face as he explores his world

Negative: The whining ... Oh! The whining!
Positive: Putting an end to the whining with the power of a hug and and a cuddle

Negative: Knowing he's just going to keep getting older ...
Positive: Being there to experience it with him

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