I recall vaguely those first two weeks at home with a newborn were similar to a long weekend (as a non-parent) in Las Vegas: little to no sleep, you don't remember what you did the night before and you have no idea what's about to happen next.
The thing about motherhood is you have no idea what to expect or anticipate until you're in the middle of it. Right now I can tell you: Life is awesome, I love being a mom. I can’t imagine missing this experience. I’ve had a lot of adventures and been many places around the world; but watching my little Oliver grow and become a little person who laughs and smiles, is completely magical. Of all the adventures I've had though, I can say without hesitation, they are unparalleled to watching him grow and evolve, it's the most thrilling experience of my life.
My message to new moms is that everyday gets a little bit easier. I was so in love with my baby and also full of fear since I was now responsible for another human being. In the delivery room he latched right on and started breastfeeding. I had no idea what I was doing since all the info I had learned at my breastfeeding class at the hospital vanished from my brain. I had some help from the lactation consultants at the hospital, but it was still hard. It was painful and I was so stressed that he wasn't nursing long enough on each side. Was he getting enough milk? Was I feeding him often enough? The worries were endless.