What a Difference a Year Makes

Fourth of July a year ago…

I had written a blog shortly there after about the truth about Motherhood. To be honest, it got a lot of negative backlash. People were calling my parents, asking me if I was ok. People were wondering if I was depressed. I was told I was coming across as ungrateful. For the first time, I debated whether or not to take down a blog I had written.

Was it butterflies and rainbows? No. Was it real, raw, and honest? Yes.

I don’t write blogs all too often. However, when I do they are coming from a place of passion and feeling the need to share something. Last Fourth of July, while on vacation with our 1 year old, I had a gotten into a conversation with an expecting Mother. She asked me to not sugar coat the experience. She wanted the raw an honest truth about being a new Mom.

This inspired me to write that blog a year ago. Having a 1 year old was A LOT of work. Especially on vacation, on a boat, surrounded by other people, trying to navigate all the surroundings and taking care of a little human. I was stressed, I was anxious, I was nervous…it wasn’t the vacation I had wanted or hoped for.

Fast forward a year.

We returned to Lake George for our annual Fourth of July trip. And somewhere this past year, something changed. Ryker got a little bit older, and a little bit more independent. He isn’t the same one year old child he was last year. There was shift, and I remember my feelings changing from “Traveling with my kid isn’t a real vacation” to “I can’t wait to bring Ryker to new places so that he can experience them”.

(Don’t get me wrong, an adult vacation is still always needed.) But watching Ryker experience all the firsts, and seeing his love for travel and adventures grow is a thrill all in its own right. Hearing him say he didn’t want to go home because he loved it there so much made the whole trip worth it!

This year at Lake George, our trip was so much different. It was less stressful, it was fun, we were able to adult more and play more. AND we got much needed rest! My Father and his gf were there with us, which gave us extra hands and support, which is always helpful with a toddler. If you can travel with grandparents, always say yes!!

We rented a boat one day, which was the highlight of the vacation for Ryker, minus swimming in the pool. All he wanted to do was drive it and touch every knob and button. This became a fascination of his as he continued to point to every boat the rest of the trip and talk about going on one.

In the water, he was fearless. He jumped off the boat (with his swimmies of course) into the lake without a hesitation. He would willingly go on a float and swim out to the different islands of Lake George with his Aunt. He loved to have us there, but I could see his desire to do things on his own and explore. “No, Mama. I do it!”

Ryker climbed in and out of the pool without any assistance, climbing the ladder jumping in - over and over and over again. Needless to say this little boy was tuckered out by the end of the night.

I ran into that same Mom who I had a conversation with a year ago. Her son is now 9 months old. I brought up the blog that she inspired me to write, and she was thankful for my honesty and for sharing everything I did that day. “I needed to hear it” she told me. We talked all about her journey thus far, and how its not easy being a first time Mom.

But this time, I was able to tell her - year two is much easier! It has its own challenges of course, just new and different ones. I looked over my shoulder and watched Ryker jumping into the lake with his cousin and smiled. Oh what a difference a year makes.

<3

P.S.

Every stage with your kid is different. Sometimes it can feel COMPLETELY overwhelming. Whether it is warranted or not, our emotions and feelings as a Mother are valid and real. Most of the times, these phases are exactly that…a phase. And they go by so quickly that you don’t even realize you have left one and entered another. Try not to be so hard on yourself. Know you are doing the best you can. Breathe, and if you are having a bad day, know that tomorrow is a new one. And soon today’s challenges will be a thing of the past.

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