DELILAH DIOR DOMINICA

I am a mother of a three month old baby boy. Three months. I can't say "It seems like I blinked and here he was-three months old," because I am fully aware of each hour I have spent with him. The days seem to have stretched out so that each hour is double what it once was and yet I wouldn't slow it down if I had the power. I adore this child of mine. He is hilarious, sweet as can be and such a testament of God's grace. That being said- man oh man has he rocked our world. Even before I was pregnant I loved reading what a wide variety of mothers would say helped get them through those first three months. There are always some staples that seem to make everyones list and some items I had never heard of before. One thing rings true: every baby is completely unique and no one will know your baby the way you do. Here are our " Couldn't Have Made it Without You " essentials. Colace : Yes. The very first thing on the list. I was told to follow this r...

Our sweet boy is one month old. I'm not a person who finds every month to be monumental, but arriving at four weeks is truly something to celebrate. Something to marvel at. Something that in those first few hazy days seems to be a lifetime away. There were sleepless nights, as promised. There were nights I talked to the pediatrician more than I talked to the Lord. Nights I spent the hours he was asleep watching to see that his chest rose and fell with every breath. Nights where my confidence was shattered and patience tested. He lost his voice screaming through his first bath (the water was too warm). He wet his whole outfit every time he peed (his diapers were too small). He broke out in a rash nearly every time he ate (I needed to give up dairy) and yet somehow, with all of our shortcomings, he is still ours . He still reaches his teeny arms and giant hands up for us to rescue him, still trusts that I will always feed him and hold him until he's resting peacefully enough to...

 Our beautiful son is one week old today. Last night, after being up with him for what seemed like the hundredth hour of the evening, I realized what love is. As I waddled back from the bathroom and looked at my husband resting with Oshiolema sleeping on his chest, I truly realized how much our lives have changed. My Boppy was on the couch draped in a burp cloth, A table stocked with water, snacks and a breast pump was off to the side and we had the TV on a volume that was practically quieter than mute. "This is crazy." I whispered. My husband smiled back at me, " No, this is love ." Love is your husband helping you up from the toilet and sitting on the bathroom floor helping you relax enough to forget about a pretty serious set of stitches. Love is how he looks at you when you're limping in a nursing bra and compression band and says "you are more beautiful than ever." Love is your little sister committing to stay with you until the baby...

Well, friends, here we are. I am 38 weeks pregnant. My belly has grown exactly 15 inches since May. My hips refuse to stay in place, I have a new stretch mark every day, my nights are just short of sleepless and my waddle is almost comical. As I was draped over my exercise ball last night, sharing with my husband just how badly I wanted to have this baby, he whispered, "it's almost over, love. But stay present in these moments, they're special too." It got me thinking about spiritual amnesia. I think as believers we all suffer from it from time to time-some cases are severe while others are easily cured. I have learned that the best way to prevent spiritual amnesia is to hold tightly to the moments when The Lord reveals himself to us; to be full of gratitude for His faithfulness. So, despite sharing the story so many times this pregnancy, I've decided to put pen to paper and record how incredibly faithful The Lord was in giving us this child. From as ear...

I am a journal keeper. I have journaled nearly every day for the past eight years, allowing me to step fully into a place and time in my past through my own words. These journals are for myself and The Lord and I am so grateful that on sleepy nights and rushed mornings, I still took time to put pen to paper. To remember. These journals have gifted me with many things, but one of the greatest joys I claim through these books is gratitude . Reading words of heartache and loneliness, sifting through paragraphs of isolation and disobedience, I can truly see the story God is writing in my life. The equation has been proven over and over again in those journals: I diligently seek Him in prayer -- He is faithful. Wherever there was darkness, light was only a few pages away. So when I'm feeling lost or lonely, if ever I begin to wonder what my place is in this world, I can look back and remember that I serve a God who answers prayer . My life is a result of prayers prayed over me and...

Well, friends, here we are! It's time for the Fall post of my pregnancy updates. Last time I checked in , we were on the last leg of Summer and this baby had been cooking for 21 weeks. If you ever think time is passing too slowly-get pregnant and line up your due-date with the end of the Holiday season. Phew...double whammy time-stealer. Same dress, same spot, nine weeks later. How far along: 30 Weeks. Total weight gain: 23 pounds. Maternity clothes: I still have yet to find the perfect maternity jeans. (Any suggestions?!) I have one pair of Paige Maternity Boyfriend Jeans but they're way too big. Wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans with the hair-tie trick is becoming a challenge. I can't help but picture the rubber band popping off and hitting someone in the eye one of these days. Simple maternity tees from Gap and Old Navy have been a daily go-to.  Sleep: On one hand, I'm so thankful that we have an incredibly active baby. My belly looks like a...

When I stepped outside yesterday, I had to pull my jacket sleeves down over my fingers and tuck my face into my collar. Somehow, without me really realizing it, the season had changed. Of course I knew it was Autumn-there are pumpkins everywhere and much to my dismay, the back-to-school items Have been put on clearance to make room for trick-or-treat buckets and Twizzlers. The calendar declared it Autumn a long time ago, but the weather stubbornly ignored the date and kept on beaming summer. Fall is my favorite time of year without a doubt, and yet no matter how much I'm looking forward to all that these months bring-every time I feel a change of seasons I mourn the loss of the last one. You see, this summer changed my life as Summers often do. I have been given a gift that I grow closer to opening with each passing day. With this gift in my belly, I have watched the end of spring, the start of summer, and yesterday - to my surprise - the chill of an Autumn in full swing. Just a...