Two weeks on the other side

Well, the last time I posted I was thinking we had about two weeks before Carter would arrive. In reality, it was one week. And now, I am on the eve of two weeks passing since the big day. What an emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual journey it has been. And I am quite sure we have just started! And even in the middle of what feels like will be a marathon of truncated sleep and guessing at what that particular cry means, I am aware that it will pass all too quickly and we will never have THIS moment with her again.

I think Ben is planning on blogging a "Chronicles of Carter" post with all the details about her arrival and whatnot. So, I won't do much of that here. I just want to take a pause, draw a deep breath, and reflect a little bit on the two weeks. As precious as time is these days--it won't be long, but I want to jot down a few thoughts and impressions.

First of all, I can't believe how beautiful I think my daughter is. Ben and I both have marveled at her every time we look at her. She has such beautiful skin and her almond-shaped, dark eyes melt my heart. I think she has her Daddy's naturally arched eyebrows which will be a blessing if that is the case since Mommy pays big money every four to six weeks to get hers!



Second of all, I am tickled at how seemingly relational she is right out of the womb. From minute one, she locked eyes with each an every loved one that held her starting with Mommy and Daddy. And it wasn't accidental...she would really look at each person for a good long time. I know newborns aren't supposed to smile in meaningful ways, but I would put money on this girl's smile. And let me tell you, she has some smiles for Daddy.



And I guess the other thing that just stands out so starkly from the last two weeks is how wonderful I think my husband is and how thankful I am to be sharing this parenting journey with him. Watching him take delight in Cater is such a joy. He is absolutely over the moon about this girl. All the nurses at the hospital went out of their way to tell me how precious it was to watch Ben with her. He can't get enough of her! And he has done such an incredible job taking care of me. He has been patient in all my many requests, thinks I am beautiful at each and every stage of this journey, was a champ in the delivery room, and has gone out of his way to do all the things he can to make this transition easier for me. I am blessed to have him as my husband and Carter is blessed to have him as a father.