In the Blink of an Eye

Yesterday was an amazing day...My son had the first day of the last month of his first year of life as he turned 11 months old. As I stuck his numbered sticker on his outfit to capture the moment in a photo it hit me how much he has grown and changed in what is truly such a short time in life.

I have always loved babies; their cuteness, their smell, how cuddly they are, everything about them, but nothing compares to the love I have for my own baby. I am blown away by the way babies grow and develop so much in their first year of life! There is no other point in our lives where we experience such dramatic growth and change in a year's time. It is truly wondrous to watch him as he makes new discoveries and tries to figure things out; I am in love with it.

Thinking back to my pregnancy and to the day he was born, like many moms before me, I wondered if I would be a good mom, if I could handle it all, if it would change me? I would have to answer yes, to all of those questions. Even with all of the ups and downs and learning curves, I think I'm doing great, and every time I look at my son I reaffirm that to myself. It's important to remind yourself that you are a great mom because you will question yourself a million times over, and its ok.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how fast your baby walks, talks, crawls, whatever. He or she will get their when it is their time to get there, and all I can tell you is don't rush it. I see now how quickly time really flies. I remember holding my new born and he was so tiny, now his body stretches across my lap and its a wonder he was in my belly 11 months ago! I miss that little new born, but I love my little buddy. It's a constant pull at my heartstrings...the nostalgia and living in the moment.

We are so fortunate in this day and age to have cameras on hand constantly. We can capture so much and go back and look at it when ever we want! I love to watch the videos from when he was a new born...the best part is, he likes to watch them with me now too :-) You may not listen to this message now, but if it is at all possible, stop what you're doing, swoop up your son(s) or daughter(s), hug them close, breath them in, and be in that moment because they are in the past in the blink of an eye.

Intro of Mommy Blogger: Liz Pitney

Where do you go when you need peace and quiet? Who do you talk to when you need to vent? Where do you go when you just need to cry? Where do you look to for advice?

Moms, this blog is a sacred place for you to turn to in time of need; whatever that need may be. My name is Liz and I am a new mom to my precious son; Lincoln Alexander. I started this blogspot for my own personal space as a place where I could turn to and express my feelings as a new mother. Motherhood has been the most joyous, yet also the most daunting task, all at the same time. Just because I feel the bad does not make me a bad mother. And that is exactly why I wanted to create this space for other moms too. You're not alone, mama, and I'm building a community of women to show you that.

Reality is, we all struggle. Instead of feeling any amount of guilt for that, I want to encourage mamas to embrace the entire journey; the good times AND the bad times. Writing is my passion and I want to share it with you all. My writing may encourage you to write too. Journaling is a beautiful thing. It helps clear your mind of any constricting thoughts. Journaling allows you to look back and see how far you've come in your journey. It allows you to remember all those moments you wish you could relive again. And it allows you to completely unveil yourself safely.

This blog is my journal. I feel safe here in my community of other mamas. I'll say some stuff that may rub you the wrong way. I'll share my opinions of what worked for me and it may differ from what works for you. But ultimately I'm here to create a support group for those mamas in need.

I'll be sharing recipes, workouts, my go to products for both baby and I when it comes to health and wellness. I'll be sharing links to what I believe are great resources for all different types of questions you may have. I'll be completely open and honest in all that I share; that is where I came up with therawmom.com.

As a raw mom, I am bringing it all to the table. We're gonna talk about hormones, the consistency of your child's feces, why the doctor says to wait six weeks to have sexual intercourse post delivery, and we're gonna talk about how crazy, loco you may feel at times when your child cries nonstop. Yes, it's real and it's raw. It's the way it is and there's no shame to that.

At the end of the day, remember that your child needs you. Your child loves you effortlessly and you love him/her effortlessly. The way I view loving my son is the closest comparison I imagine it to be of God loving me. The love is indescribable. So, no matter what you're feeling; whether happy or sad, sleepy or energized, confused or prepared, this blog is for you. You'll find something here just for you.

I will periodically have guest bloggers on my site sharing their expertise with you too so I don't sound like a "know it all". Trust me, I'm far from a know it all. I've made it this far in the role of motherhood thanks to The Big Man Upstairs. He's guided my steps along the way and I'm doing alright because of it.

If you find yourself crying for no apparent reason at times. Or notice yourself taking longer showers for a bit of peace and quiet. Maybe you're like me and instead of receiving the compliment with praise from your hubby on how good you look, you question the incentive behind his compliments because you're still struggling to feel secure in your post baby body. When you can't get baby to stop crying, you question if you're doing this whole motherhood thing right.....I've never doubted myself more than I have now and that's because I am deeply afraid of not being good enough for this tiny human being. I want him to love me and love me always. I want to be his superhero. Is this you, too?

Together we can lift one another up when needed most. I hope this space makes you feel safe and secure in sharing your feelings too. And a little reminder as it may have been awhile since you've last heard these words, know that, you are a great mother! You are the most perfect mother for your most perfect child and you always will be.

Together we can build a community of strong and confident moms. Let's do this, mamas! Time to empower one another for our individual and unique mothering efforts instead of criticizing one another for them. Let's be raw, let's be real, and let's be reinforcing to one another. Stay tuned for more content.

Love to all the wonderful mama bears,

Liz