Our first year as a family of 3, and what we have learned

With spring just around the corner, I thought it was time for a little update on our first year as a family of 3. With Cupar having just turned one (how did that happen?!), it’s been a very busy time. We’ve had ups, we’ve had downs, and we’ve had everything in between, but all in all its been an amazing year.

Spring (March, April, May) – Family of 3

Spring saw the arrival of our gorgeous little boy, and with it, a total change of pace for our lives.  Pregnancy and giving birth was a total shock to the system for me, and it took me a while to recover both mentally and physically. Aeron stepped up to the mark and looked after me and Cupar while I felt totally useless recovering from a few health problems and a little bit of the baby blues.

Sleepless nights and getting through colic (why did nobody warn us about this?!), very much took their toll on all of us, but once we figured out how to get a bit of a routine going, things started to get easier.

Spring was spent mostly in the house getting used to being new parents and learning A LOT! I don’t think anything can really prepare you for being a new parent until you experience it, and that was something I wasn’t expecting.

We had a lovely newborn photoshoot done, which is something I would really recommend. The photos captured so many emotions and feelings that we were going through at the time and really made our bond as a family stand out.

Summer (June, July, August) – Family of 3

The sun came out and brought with it droves of hares for the summer months!  They descended upon our little county with flair.  Each of them beautifully decorated by local businesses and artists, they made for some amazing photo opportunities. We managed to see all 50, and even completed the sticker book, which I’m sure was more fun for me than it was for Cupar!

We had an exceptionally hot summer by British standards in 2018, which was lovely but quite difficult with a new baby.  I must have asked my family and friends at least 50, 000 times if they thought Cupar was too hot when we were out and about! It can be really difficult to know what to do with a baby in the heat, as they can’t let you know if they’re too hot or too cold, so you just have to follow your instincts.

Breastfeeding in the 30c heat was a bit of a challenge!  Me and Cupar ended up sticky and soaked in sweat more times than I care to remember.

Also in the summer my brother and his lovely wife got married. It was an intimate ceremony in a delightfully picturesque setting. It was a wonderful day and my extended family got to meet Cupar for the first time, which was lovely.  Cupar being about 3 months old at the time, just seemed to take it all in his stride and didn’t make a fuss at all.

Autumn (September, October, November) – Family of 3

The autumn months settling in meant the colic that Cupar had been suffering from finally made a run for it and left us alone. This meant more sleep and better sleep, which we all desperately needed.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another though, and we all ended up with colds, coughs and even a sickness bug. Looking after a baby that has a sickness bug, and then dealing with it yourself is not fun. We all spent about a week permanently covered in sick and having to wash our clothes multiple times a day.

The autumn also brought with it lots of family birthdays, which meant lots of family time for Cupar.  He’s a very sociable little boy, so any excuse to go out and see people is a good one with us.

I was starting to feel a lot better by now too.  I felt more like my normal self and motherhood was beginning to all make sense. It took a lot longer than I expected, but parenthood is such a massive learning curve, you just have to take each day as it comes.

Winter (December, January, February) – Family of 3

Winter was very exciting for me because it was Cupar’s first Christmas, and it was also mine and Aerons birthdays, so a lot of celebrations were going on.  Christmas was something I’d been looking forward to for years. We went all out and got Cupar his own personalised stocking and a Santa outfit for Christmas day, which he looked incredibly cute in.

Christmas day was spent with my parents and it was the most magical day we could have hoped for. Cupar was thoroughly spoilt and got more presents than he knew what to do with. He even got to try some Christmas dinner and pull a cracker with us.

The 5 most important things we’ve learnt so far:

• Look after yourself. Happy parents equal a happy baby.
• Take lots of photos and videos. I love looking back through our photos and videos to see how far we’ve all come.
• Don’t forget about your relationship. With sleep deprivation and lack of time, your relationship will take a battering. Don’t forget to check in with each other every now and then.
• Learn as you go. You can’t know everything straight away, so read blogs, magazines, join forums and master each stage as it happens.
• Meet other mums. Having mum friends that are there for a coffee and a chat, or just a moan is invaluable.

Our first year as a family of 3 was one of the best and also one of the toughest years we’ve had. Sleep deprivation, colic, and illnesses took their toll, but the smiles and happiness that Cupar has brought us are the best rewards ever.

Cupar has grown so much in a year and he makes me proud every day. As we are now entering the toddler years, we’re excited to see where the next part of our journey takes us. I’m expecting lots of walking, talking and tantrums!!

How did your first year with your little one go?

Other posts you may like: Things That Surprised Me About Becoming A Mum, 11 Things I DON’T Miss Since Having A Baby, Things You Shouldn’t Say To A New Mum

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