Some Things Are Worth The Wait

I waited 10 days to hold my newborn baby and 42 days to bring her home from the NICU.

426 days to see her sit independently.

1,095 days to witness her first step.

1,825 days to hear her voice.

2,190 days to receive my first kiss from her.

4,380 days to sleep through the night uninterrupted.

When I look at these numbers, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I got to experience every one of these moments with my daughter. I always accepted her exactly as she is. I never saw her milestones as measures of her worth, and I never needed her to change in order to love her more. My goal has always been to cheer her on, support her, and help her reach her own potential in whatever way is right for her. I knew that loving her, believing in her, and working hard alongside her came with no promise of when or how a milestone might arrive. Still, I wanted to give her every opportunity to explore, communicate, move, and connect.

Together, we kept finding ways to support her growth. I learned how to be there for her, and she showed me what effort and determination could look like in ways I had never understood before.

And then I got to be there.

To see her find her balance and take that first step. To hear the voice I had wondered about for years. To feel her lean in and give me a kiss.

I am grateful for every person who helped us get there, for everything my daughter has shared with me, and for the privilege of being beside her as her cheerleader and support while she continues to grow into herself.