Enjoying the "bumps"

  There are many bumps along the motherhood road and at the time seem stressful and frustrating but looking back you miss them. For example when you have a newborn there are so many dirty diapers. Leaking diapers, going on you while you are changing them, and the smell lol. But I have found that while changing her I bond with her more than any other time. I talk to her while I'm changing her and if you notice from alot of the first few months of pictures most of the smile are from the changing table. Because I'm right in front of her face and she's focused on me and what I'm doing. When she is potty trained and doesn't need to lay on that changing table and stare at me and talk to me while I'm changing her I will be said.
    Also, night feedings. When you first bring them home you will be SO TIRED. And you aren't that happy about having to get up every hour or two to feed and change them. You beg and pray for them to start sleeping through the night. When they do it's very nice to be able to sleep. You won't sleep through the night for awhile because your um...body, will have to learn that there is not a baby to feed in the middle of the night and you will also probably be a little nervous and wake up just to check. But I am not gonna lie. SLEEP IS WONDERFUL. Ava has been a pretty good baby. At the beginning was very fussy and colicky but I have pretty much put her in her crib in her room from day one. Didn't start the sleeping in the bed and she didn't really like her bassinet. Which has worked out great. She has been sleeping mostly through the night for awhile now-once in a while wakes up crying and needs her paci but mostly sleeps about 8-9 hours. She also take normal naps now during the day. So all this sounds great right? It is great. Kindof. But as stupid as this sounds, I miss getting to get up all night and hold her and breastfeed her. I used to have to rock her and sing to her alot to get her to sleep. It was a long process. Now she just wants to be laid down in her crib when it's time for bed or a nap. She doesn't want me to rock her or sing to her. I don't feel as needed. She doesn't need me to feed her at night or comfort her to sleep. 
    When she gets older she will have many such milestones where she will no longer need me. When she can dress herself, go to the bathroom by herself, feed herself,  go to school, take a shower by herself, have her own friends and boyfriends to talk to instead of me, and one day leave and get married. Before you are a mom you always think well I have til they are a teenager til they won't need me anymore. It starts from the beginning. Ava is only 5 months old and there are many things she needed me for at first that already change. She doesn't want to be held so much anymore, she wants to sit and play. A part of me is so happy that she is becoming her own person and can do things on her own, it makes me proud. But it is also hard because I don't feel as needed and it's a constant reminder that someday she will  be her own independent person. 
    I know this frase seems overused to new moms or people that are pregnant, but it's so true. ENJOY EVERY MINUTE. It will pass you by. Even if it seems like they are so needy and you just wish they would be able to do more on their own, you will miss it. They won't need you forever so when you are getting up in the middle of the night to feed or putting them on the changing table for what seems like the 100th time in one day, soak it all in.