ROMI'S FIRST BIRTHDAY
My baby girl Romi turned one year old on August 4th! It feels like just yesterday I was pregnant (we didn’t know what gender we were having, by the way) and getting ready to give birth to my third child. Fast forward a year and my little girl is standing up on her own two feet and preparing to take those momentous next steps into toddler-hood, both literally, and figuratively! We’re all so excited to celebrate this significant occasion and the life-changing year we have had as a family of five.
Although Noam and I chose not to find out Romi’s gender before she was born (here's a link to a fun gender reveal aka Old wives tale article that I wrote when I was preggo with her) – we very much wanted our third birth to be a surprise- I remember expecting the baby to be our third boy. After having gone through two pregnancies carrying boys, and feeling similarly enough with my third pregnancy, I assumed the baby would be a boy and just prayed for a happy and healthy child at the end of the day, irrespective of the gender. When Romi came out and we officially found out we had a girl, we were completely overjoyed. I remember not really believing it, I was so beyond happy. Noam was also smiling from ear to ear- he was ready to have a “Daddy’s Little Girl.” I love my two boys more than anything, but I always wanted a little girl, a mini-me of sorts, and hoped to be a mother of both genders someday. Here's Romi's Birth story if you missed it.
Speaking of my mini-me…did you see Romi and I twinning with matching clothes on my Instagram?! I love spending time with my girl – even at this early stage in her life. And, I definitely loved matching baby-mama style a few weeks back. I can’t wait until Romi is old enough for us to spend time together and bond. I envision us going shopping together, talking about boys (very far into the future…!), and doing a myriad of mother-daughter activities. I know this may sound cheesy, but I’d love to lay the foundation now for a Lorelai-Rory Gilmore mother-daughter relationship – one where my daughter and I bond and she is open to sharing with me about anything and everything. As she gets older, Romi may want to match with her mama less and less, but for now, I’m owning that for all it’s worth!
As I sit here typing about Romi’s birthday, I can’t help but reflect on motherhood – my ultimate full-time job. There’s nothing more that I’ve done as person or that has happened to me in my life that has impacted me as profoundly as becoming a mother. All of my mama friends out there know this and can relate. Being a mother changes something in your whole being. Your life belongs to the beautiful children you create and you are able to find the most joy in the simplest of things from your beloved children. My three kids make me feel so grateful to be their mother and to experience the wonderful things of life with them and because of them. There is nothing like being a mother, I can promise you that.
I also can’t help but think that time is moving at the speed of light over here. It feel's like yesterday I was celebrating her baby shower. It is absolutely crazy how time flies! As a mother who works from home, I’ve had the real privilege of watching Romi (and my two boys) grow, day-by-day. I’ve seen each of them learn new things, change their preferences, and grow both physically and mentally – all on a daily basis. Sometimes, I wish time could slow down for just a second! Luckily, I’ve done a pretty good job of capturing the special, and the seemingly mundane (to the outside world, at least!), moments that life has brought our family. Through this blog and social media, I’ve been given the special opportunity of documenting our lives. As a family of five, this technological documentation has only become more meaningful since Romi’s birth. I can’t wait to see what this next year holds for baby Romi, and the whole Dekel crew!
Romi’s birthday celebration with our friends.
XX- neshikot
