When you become a mom, you celebrate every new and amazing moment in your baby’s life—but what about you? Here are 10 mommy milestones you should take a few moments to savor and whoop over--because you deserve it.

1. First Pair of Pre-Pregnancy Jeans

Let’s face it--this isn’t Hollywood. Looking four months pregnant while being four months postpartum is the norm around here. The first time you can slip on your favorite jeans is a moment to relish. Congrats, momma!

2. First Solo Outing with Baby

There is so much gear that you need to carry with you when you have a newborn. And what if he cries/screams/poops/pukes while you’re out? Or if you have something heavy to carry and need to make multiple trips to the car? 

You’re going to have to handle it all some time, so be proud of yourself the first time you do!

3. First Post-Baby Nookie

If you had a vaginal birth, things can be tender, swollen, and a little bit “off” down there. If you had a C-section, your abdomen and incision site can be especially painful.

Postpartum bleeding can last for a couple months, hormonal shifts cause vaginal dryness--plus there’s all the sleepless nights and missed showers. This adds up to you not feeling your sexy best. That first time you get back in the saddle is definitely worth celebrating.

4. First Mom’s Night Out

You’ve spent the last several months dedicating almost every waking moment to caring for your newborn. You deserve a night out with your friends. Reconnect with the side of you that remembers how to let loose (a little) and enjoy a few hours of freedom.

5. First Date Night

You and your partner need a break together, too. It’s easy to get into a routine of, “I’ll stay home so you can go out” with your spouse--but that doesn’t give you a chance to reconnect.

Hire a sitter, or have close family or friends watch your wee one. Everything will be OK--and you and your significant other can get a chance to remember why you chose each other as mates in the first place.

6. First Year

Everybody will give all of the credit to your baby just for turning a year old. Take a moment to realize he couldn’t have done it without you. Literally.

You just survived an entire year of surprise diaper blowouts and random hour-long tantrums with your sanity (mostly) intact. Good job!

7. First Good Night’s Sleep

Is there anything more blissful than waking up no less than six hours after you fell asleep? Yes. Waking up eight hours after you fell asleep!

However long you slept, that first morning you wake up and rush to see if baby is still breathing because she couldn’t possibly have slept that long (we’ve all done it) is a milestone to savor. It probably won’t happen regularly in the beginning, so enjoy it when it does.

8. First Time You Know What That Cry Means

Celebrate the fact that you’ve learned your baby’s cues. Trying everything in your arsenal to comfort your baby while still not knowing exactly what went wrong is stressful. 

That first time you hear a cry and know that baby is asking for a new diaper is a milestone to be proud of.

9. First Unaccompanied Bathroom Break

One of the most taken-for-granted events in our pre-baby lives is the ability to relieve ourselves alone, uninterrupted. One day, maybe not soon, but in the not-too-far future--when your babies are older and slightly less annoying--you will be able to poop alone. We promise. 

It's OK to enjoy your solitary me-time. For real.

10. First Spontaneous “I Love You”

Some day, when you’re not expecting it, your little one will look at you and say, “I love you!” 

While it’s easy to see it as a milestone in your child’s life, it’s a huge mommy moment, too. Remember it. Everything you’ve had to do up to that first declaration of love makes it all worthwhile.