It’s starting to feel real

well, this baby thing is starting to finally feel real. We’ve toured the hospitals, selected a facility, finished our child birthing classes, found a day care, will be attending a breastfeeding workshop, scheduled our car seat inspection, selected a pediatrician, and wrote our birth plan. Our nursery is full of goodies. I have all the books and swaddle blankets and white noise makers a mommy-to-be could ask for. Some days I feel myself, some days I don’t. Probably because I know I’m going to be a little different in 2014. I’m going to give birth, and breastfeed {what?!}, and take time off from work {me, not work?! And not be traveling with time off?!!}.  I’m going to have a baby. I’m going to be a mother. My mom even said it when I kissed her goodbye after my shower: “When I see you next you’re going to be a mother”, with tears in her eyes, then tears in my eyes. In that moment I panicked a little bit and realized how different things are going to be. Priorities are going to change. I’m going to change. It’s scary, and overwhelming, and exciting, all at the same time. I’m 4 weeks away from meeting my next adventure. I wonder what he’ll look like, this little thing growing inside me {and pushing down on my pelvis}. Will he be healthy? Will he have dimples? Will he be less than 9 lbs {I hope!!}? So, what are my goals for 2014? . .  to not lose myself and embrace motherhood with the same level of happiness and energy that I carry with me in everything I do. Boom. 2 simple, yet important goals I’m putting in front of myself for 2014.