It’s taken me five months to realize what’s wrong.
Five good months since the birth of my child.
Five months of kisses and cuddles and bleary-eyed marches; blaring noise and silent sleep.
All this time and all this experience it took me to notice things around me:
Systems out of whack. Needs untended. Tweaks to be made.
Funny, how the way you realize you’re surviving is the ability to see what’s awry.
One day, you feel the slight twinge of annoyance. Stress at the the logistics of life. And you think, wait, I’ve reentered the real world without even realizing it. Without any fanfare. No great plunge. But a gradual dipping in of toes, then ankles, calves – until suddenly the cold on your belly button makes your breath catch.
It is exhilarating and chilling at the same time.
You’re doing it. You’re living life, your life, while navigating the care of that of your little one. It’s never easy, always imperfect. It may turn your lips blue and make your teeth chatter, but you’re afloat.
And that is a feat in and of itself.
Pinterest, multiple sources
Chopping Potatoes 
pattytmitchell
/ October 13, 2016Great post! Welcome back ☺️
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Jennifer Butler Basile
/ October 13, 2016Thank you, Pat! Good to be back! Hopefully I can stay here 😉
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pattytmitchell
/ October 13, 2016I have a feeling you will be. Your writing and the image you just painted for us is as outstanding as ever.
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Barbara Butler
/ October 13, 2016Love it. too frustrated to make an account. ABBS
On Thu, Oct 13, 2016 at 9:14 AM, Chopping Potatoes wrote:
> Jennifer Butler Basile posted: “It’s taken me five months to realize > what’s wrong. Five good months since the birth of my child. Five months of > kisses and cuddles and bleary-eyed marches; blaring noise and silent sleep. > All this time and all this experience it took me to notice thing” >
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Jennifer Butler Basile
/ October 13, 2016Looks like you did after all!!
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Ruby Tuesday
/ October 13, 2016I know I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I will again, but please know I mean it more every time: I want to be just like you when I grow up, Jennifer. You’re an inspiration.
It’s wonderful to have you back, to whatever degree is right for you. 🙂
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Jennifer Butler Basile
/ October 13, 2016Thank you, Ruby. You are the sweetest, truly. Glad to be back – at least I think I am (back, I mean). I’ve missed you!
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ntexas99
/ October 14, 2016Thank you for sharing such a beautifully uplifting post, even though it reminds us of the struggle as we’re paddling furiously beneath the surface. Hoping your life is blessed with some of those “languidly floating on your back while surrounded in bliss” sort of days to help balance out the tough days. Beautifully written, as always. Okay, truthfully, it was one of your better efforts (and I’ve only been following you a very short while, so I’m absolutely certain I’ve missed tons of good stuff that I haven’t yet had the time to explore). Your word pictures make me feel like I’m surrounded by a warm and comfy robe, a half-smile on my tired and sometimes grumpy face, but always caught in a sliver of that shaft of beautiful white light that shimmers through the window with a rainbow prism of glorious color. The world sparkles a little brighter, even if only for a moment, and I feel blessed.
May you and your family continue to be blessed … abundantly. 🙂
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Little Mighty
/ October 14, 2016Beautifully well written. I enjoyed this very much.
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Jennifer Butler Basile
/ October 14, 2016Thank you ❤
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