HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY, TALEENO

Last night I decided to sleep in Taleen’s nursery. At the beginning of this week I knew that her 6 month birthday was coming up, and last night I had the urge to sleep right next to her the way that I did when she first came home. I still haven’t been able to explain how in the world she’s 6 months old. It feels like just yesterday I was anticipating her arrival, and now I have a girl who sits in front of me, has contagious giggles, and literally makes everyone’s day a little bit brighter. 

Motherhood has been such an inexplainable feeling.  From nursing to traveling to simply getting work done, it has been an absolute roller coaster of emotions.  It has completely transformed my perspective on so many things. Not only has it increased the amount of respect I have for other moms, but also for my very own mom and grandmother. Suddenly everything has become full circle and life has started to finally make a little more sense.  My mother used to always tell me growing up “Wait until you have kids, and then you’ll understand” and teenage Dania used to just roll her eyes and walk away. Now I know exactly what she meant.

I remember the first day that Taleen smiled at us, the first day she giggled, and her first fake cough like it all happened yesterday.  It is so difficult to even look at photos from the hospital without tearing up… where did my little newborn disappear to!?  Each and every day leading up to these 6 months have been such an eternal blessing.  She is the only person in this world who could make me smile in an instant even if all I wanted to do was cry.

Taleeno, habibti, you are so so so loved by so many people and no matter how old you are, you will always be the most precious thing in our lives.  I hope that as you grow you learn about life in a way that no one can teach you, through experience and love. Here is to another half year (you can find me in 6 more months crying my heart out), but until then, here are photos of our not so little (anymore) 1/2 year old.