The Pros and Cons of a Newborn: a Guest Post by Naomi

We love Selah -- we really do! But it's true: having a newborn is not "easy" at all. There are plenty of challenges that come with caring for a helpless little life, and I've experienced many mixed feelings on the subject. I'd like to share some of them with you here.

Cons:

1. Newborns require time. I used to have hours of my evening to read, journal, and write on my blog. Now I mostly spend them rocking Selah to sleep for Mom.
2. Newborns require effort. To keep her happy, I usually have to do some vigorous dancing before she calms down enough for me to sway.
3. Newborns bring a change in dynamics. Mom suddenly becomes busier, the two-year-old wonders why she can't be held, and the teenagers want school help from Mom but she's in the middle of a nap.

Pros:

1. Newborns are cuddly and warm. As the winter months draw closer, I know that I will be grateful for the natural 'hot water bottle' that Mom delivered ;-)
2. Newborns provide hours of entertainment with the faces they make. Who needs TV when they can be watching a cute baby?!
3. Newborns make you practice selflessness and tenderheartedness. You can't function without these qualities when you have a baby who completely depends on you. I'm convinced that's why newborns are so cute!
4. Newborns grow up to be people you couldn't imagine life without. I've already tried to think back to life without Miriam -- and failed.

So there you go: my pros and cons of newborn-hood. I'm sure there are more that I've missed, and perhaps my viewpoint will change over time. But for now those are my opinions on this fleeting time in Selah's life.

My last words are enjoy the newborn stage while you can. It doesn't last as long as you think it does, and while the cons may seem to outweigh the pros, they don't in the long run.