Motherhood blogger – Just like that Arlo is O N E!

Motherhood blogger – Just like that Arlo is O N E!

arlo is one
It’s safe to say this feels like the quickest year of my life and also what has felt like the longest in moments. The highs of his first smile, first laugh (and every laugh after!) contrasting to the lows of what feels like never ending nights of cluster feeding and endless illnesses has made this past whole year of Arlo be the most colourful year I have experienced. Perfectly fitting for our colourful little rainbow. Thinking of this year as colours has helped manage certain times which may be tricker than others, when I’ve been sat there with my partner at 3am with an Arlo that won’t sleep I have thought to myself this is just the colour blue – blue isn’t bad, it’s just a different but still equally important colour in a rainbow.
As we’ve reached this milestone moment, I’ve been reflecting back on this past year through memories but also watching videos and looking at photos both myself and others have taken during this year. To have the joy of Jess photographing Arlo over this precious year has truly been such a blessing. Jess has captured our tiny Arlo, whose teddy bear wolfie looked like he was going to engulf him, all the way to our cheeky monkey Arlo whose now grown bigger than his teddy! Jess managed to effortlessly capture the moments that slipped by all to soon without realising it, our little one’s obsession with sticking his tongue out when he was 6 months, his first shy wave at 6 months, his first Christmas, his ‘hulking’ and bottom lips. All those moments that made up Arlo’s colourful first year are now forever in photo’s which have places not only in our hearts but pride of place around our home.
Maternity photographer Costessey

So what’s Arlo like after a whole year? Well, he’s completely different to his first tiny baby character. He’s a happy boy who loves to play, especially with his lion whose been a firm favourite since the early days, he loves his sleep (which we are very grateful for) and will let you know how annoyed he is if we wake him up before he’s ready in the morning, he is so sociable and will smile and wave at passerbyers. His toothy grin will melt anyone’s heart and his inquisitive nature grows by the day, I can see him figuring out how things work every day and the satisfaction you can see he has when he’s communicated something to us successfully makes all other worries you may have disappear. Even reading back on previous blogs I’ve done for Jess I can see the difference in how I’m describing Arlo and I’m so grateful to have those recollections to look back on as his character continues to flourish.

Our next phase we’re entering into is the transition of myself going from maternity leave to back to work. This has already brought some anxieties with it, will Arlo be ok? Will he understand I haven’t just left him? Who am I returning to work as – because I don’t feel the same person as when I left? In the past year, insights, priorities and life in general has shifted which leads me to lean on others around me who have been through this journey for guidance. By doing this, I’ve been thinking about advice I was given when Arlo was first born and what advice I found or would have found helpful at the time. One particular piece of advice or guidance I was given and I still resonate with is ‘Every journey in motherhood is different, just because one journey may look different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Like no two kids are the same, nor are two first years.’

motherhood
As this advice stuck with me, I thought I would ask my fellow NCT antenatal class mums their advice to anyone who may be reading this blog wanting some advice and is embarking on their parenting journey.
1 – Don’t pressure yourself with breastfeeding, just do what feels right and what works for you and your baby. The phrase ‘fed is best’ is one to be remembered.
2 – Remember, it DOES get easier! Some may describe life with a newborn as relentless at times but hang it there, it’s amazing.
3 – Set up a night shift rota if possible – sleep is needed.
4 – The golden rule is take each day as it comes, write off the bad days and know that better ones are just around the corner.
motherhood

Thank you, Jess, for giving me the space to document Arlo’s first year, it’s been an absolute gift and an amazing experience.