"It Gets Better"

While we were in Florida last month, we went for a walk in the neighborhood where we were staying.  With Oliver strapped in the stroller, we headed out to enjoy the warm weather.  

Earlier that day, I had seen a young woman walking with a baby.  We were in the car, so my visibility wasn't great, therefore I didn't see the age of the baby.  But, I saw the young woman again during our walk.  She was holding a newborn and standing near an older couple and their car.  

I saw her wipe her eyes and from where we were, I could see her eyes were red.  The man gently rubbed her back and spoke inaudible words to her.  I'm assuming they were comforting.  

I hollered to her, "Congratulations!"  She replied with the customary, "Thank you."  She forced herself to give me a smile.  A smile through those puffy, tired eyes.

"Ours is 2 months," I said, pointing to Oliver in the stroller.

"She's 2 weeks," she responded, pointing to the bundle of pink.

I told her what people told me, "It gets better!"

"I hope so," she replied.

At the time I wasn't too far from those first few weeks myself, and so her words tugged at my heart.  

Because those first 2 weeks for me were not fun.  Even with my mom in town to help, I was exhausted.  I was missing my husband, missing my life BO (before Oliver), coveting sleep.  I was baby blues-ing pretty hard.  Tears would fall for no reason.  And then they'd fall for legitimate reasons, like Oliver not peeing for 12 hours.

Then a sweet friend messaged me on Facebook:

"I figure right about now the fatigue is setting in.  Just wanted to let you know it gets better.  Praying for you guys!"

(Thank you, Whitney!)

So, there in the street in a Florida neighborhood, I paid it forward.  It wasn't that regurgitated verbiage people spit out during certain situations.  Being on the other side of that new mommy fog, I could tell her "it gets better" with confidence and conviction.

That mama continues to be on my heart, so I offer up prayers for her and her sweet girl.  Much like that stranger did for us in the Target parking lot.

We're all in this together, mamas.  

We do good work.

Have a wonderful weekend!