Since the day my precious baby girl was born I’ve had one saying in my head: “it’s only for a little while.” Just 6 little words that helped me in everything I’ve done in my first year of motherhood. Patience and living in the moment. THAT is the most important thing I’ve learned as a new mama!

Sure there are so many other things I can talk about that I’ve learned over the past year but they pretty much typical. You know like how to keep your baby alive, keep them from peeing on you during a diaper change, and what to do when they are being fussy. Those are things you expect to learn and it can be different for everyone.

I’m not a patient person by nature and for the most part I’m still not a patient person lol. BUT having a daughter has taught me to be patient. To remain calm through the chaos and just BREATHE. With her I’m the most patient mama ever. Through the restless nights, struggles of breastfeeding, and everything else a new baby brings. I reminded myself every single time that ITS ONLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

Valentina has had a few nights where she just cries ALLLLLL night, usually because of some sort of sickness. They were the worst nights. I’d struggle for 20-30 minutes to get her back to sleep just for her to wake up in an hour to do it all over again. She’d cry and kick and scream as I tried to hold her and comfort her. I’d be super frustrated and so damn tired. But still I’d repeat that saying in my head and just kept trying to get her to sleep.

There are so many struggles you go through as a new mama. You’re learning as you go. It gets hard, I’d want to cry or just kick something. But those days are numbered. You’ll only go through those stages for a short period of time. Then your baby is 1yr old, 5, 10, 18 and out the house. And you will miss it all. That is what would run through my head through the hardest moments in our first year. And that is what taught me to be patient with her and to really take it all in.

Living in the moment is something I would forget to do. Caught up in social media and trying to get to the next step in my life or whatever I was doing. My sweet girl slowed time down for me. In the middle of changing her diaper she would giggle. I’d stop for a few seconds and just look at her and smile knowing every second she’s getting older. When she learned how to roll over I was that mom that was cheering her on as if she won the Olympics lol. But then I’d miss the fact that she couldn’t do that before and again reminded of the fact that she’s growing every day.

It’s bittersweet. I learned to hit pause on everything going around and the million things I needed to do. Soaked up the moments I had with my baby girl as she grew every day. I wanted to really remember her first year. Things slip through and you forget so I’m so happy she taught me to take a step back and enjoy the time I have with her every day.

So that’s it guys, PATIENCE and living in the moment are my biggest lessons I’ve learned thanks to my little Valentina. I can’t wait to see what else she teaches me as she grows.

If you have a little one I’d love to hear what your baby has taught you in their first year! We are all different and I know it’d be fun to see everyone’s responses!