Moms: I'm sorry.

To any of the moms that I know personally:

I'm sorry I didn't offer to take you to appointments when you were large and pregnant.
I'm sorry I didn't rub your feet.
I'm sorry that I judged you for complaining about the discomfort.
I'm sorry I didn't bring you meals when you first came home with your baby.
I'm sorry I didn't offer to babysit so that you could shower.
I'm sorry I didn't cry with you when you were sleep deprived.
I'm sorry I didn't do your dishes even once.
I'm sorry I didn't show much sympathy when you stressed about finding childcare providers.
I'm sorry I didn't reassure you that you were strong when your birthing experience didn't go as planned.
I'm sorry I didn't inquire about your health often.
I'm sorry I didn't understand what it meant when your baby was sick.
I'm sorry I didn't hug you and tell you that you were a good parent.
I'm sorry I wondered why you were always late.
I'm sorry for my high expectations.
I'm so so sorry.

Family members and friends did all of these things for me in the weeks and months before and after the birth of little Veya. If they hadn't, I don't know how I would have survived. I didn't have a clue what having a newborn was like. And now that I do, I feel endless amounts of guilt for the lack of support I showed to my friends and family when they had their children. I also feel tremendous respect for parents. Parenting, it turns out, is kind of hard.

I'm coming out of the newborn haze (she regularly sleeps through the night!) and just really want to offer a big old thank you to those who supported us. From the kind Facebook comments to help offerings, it is so, so appreciated.