A quick glimpse, mostly for me, into the bleary-eyed days of the first month with our girl.

Charlotte’s first month at home was all a new mom could ask for and more. Keith had the entire first month off. It would have been so important simply for taking night shifts together, bonding, and having all the help. But adding in a c-section recovery made it even more helpful.

We had the most life-giving visitors who genuinely adored us and helped us so much; feeding us, holding her, making snacks, and bringing us some much-needed cheer with all of the hazy newborn days. Not everyone who came is pictured, but everyone who stopped by in those first few weeks was very special to us.

We tried to make sure Everett had some normalcy and routine, but our worries about him transitioning into the role of big brother soon proved to be misplaced. He, not sarcastically, asked us once if our weekend plans were just to, “sit around adoring Charlotte,” because he genuinely loved her so much.

He has been the best big brother helper, feeling proud of his title, commenting on how cute she is, replacing her fallen pacifiers, and comforting her on car rides which she detests. He attended her first check ups with us, and has truly made us proud.

There was an entire addition being built, contractors in and out, and it definitely added some complexity and frustration to our first weeks home. But we have told ourselves we may as well knock out sleepless newborn nights and days of hammering all at once.

For me, there has been a growth and love I can’t put into words.

My daughter’s newborn sounds, little noisy breaths, grunts, the smell of her head, the beauty of her eyes, it’s all been too precious for me to bear. The sacred quiet of nighttime feedings, the sweetness of nervous firsts (I was so scared to give her her first bath or take her on her first rides), I’m still trying to treasure these up and think them through.

Something changed in me when my precious girl was born, and my heart and mind will not be the same again. I treasure it.

There were tricky moments of nighttime tears and fussiness, of feeling concerned about how I’d make it on so little sleep, when my body would feel better, and if I was equipped for the role.

But I came to trust that, even if she cries without end, if I’m simply there and I simply hold her and love her through the tears, she will grow up to trust that we love her and will meet her needs.

Our friend Gretchen came and snapped some photos of our family, and I’m forever thankful for this.

Before Charlotte’s newborn days came to a close, while contractors hammered away, Keith helped me grab some sweet portraits of my own of our new baby. I will cherish them.

We teared up on our final night as parents to our newborn daughter, marveling at her growth and the way, as all parents know, it passed by much too fast.