To the girlfriends who had babies before me....

   Recently, when taking some time to reflect upon some of the (many) blessings I have gratitude for, I started thinking about specifically the relationships with my girlfriends who had babies before I did. The Moms who are slightly more seasoned than myself who had their kids months or years before I did. The Moms who so graciously lent support to me during my early days of Mommyhood. There are truly no words for how much all of these different types of support mean to a new Mom, and I think most of us can agree that the love and appreciation of a girlfriend who has walked the path of parenthood before us is something so very special:

The girlfriend who told you straight up that breastfeeding was hard, that you could call her to vent about it any time day or night, and dropped off a huge box of extra nursing pads before you even knew what nursing pads were.

The girlfriend who spend hours (maybe even days) researching lactation consultants in your area so that you would be prepared with a list because she knew the whole nursing situation could be so overwhelming.

The girlfriend who grabs your fussy babe and changes their diaper without blinking an eye so that you can catch your breath for two seconds.

The girlfriend who will go walking around the neighborhood with you even when it's insanely hot out because she knows you just gotta get out and hang with another grown up sometimes.

The girlfriend who brings extra snacks to the park playdate in case you forgot in the whirlwind of getting your kid(s) out the door.

The girlfriend who fills your child's closet with generous amounts of hand-me-down clothing and passes along such sweet items that become instant favorites in your house.

The girlfriend who keeps it real and reminds you everyone has "those" days and that we are all in the same boat.

The girlfriend that drags you out for the glass of wine and some girl talk that you didn't even realize how badly you needed.

The girlfriend who tackled potty training already who can offer up some sanity-saving tips.

The girlfriend who shares the contact info of the people she trusts - her pediatrician, her doctor, dentist, etc.

The girlfriend who, whenever you get together, shares a laugh that you basically always meet up wearing the same Mom uniform of skinny dark colored pants and a long sweater with Target booties.

The girlfriend who shares a good (read: easy) recipe she finds that (gasp!) her kids will actually eat.

The girlfriend who alerts you when she finds a really good deal that can't be missed.

   After becoming a Mom, I truly realized the extent to which Moms can stick together and support one another. I sincerely hope all of these girlfriends- the ones who paved the sometimes rocky road from cute newlywed to exhausted new parent- know how much they are appreciated and how much their support means. In turn, I pray that as my kids get a bit older, I can be this girlfriend to others.

   Today I am sending so much love to the mamas who are in the trenches trying to juggle it all, and also to the mamas who are steps ahead of me tackling obstacles I don't even know of yet. We see you, we appreciate you, and we sure do love you, girlfriend! ♥