This blog goes out to all my girls who are expecting, all of my girls who don't have babies yet but plan to one day, and to all my girls who are already mothers and will get a good laugh!
I knew that being a first-time mom would be a new, scary, and wonderful experience. I was certainly right. So, I have compiled a list of all the things that I learned during my first six months of being a mother. Lemme tell ya... they don't cover all of this in "What to Expect When You're Expecting".....
-Changing a diaper does not sound scary... unless you have to deal with a tender (bleeding!) circumcision underneath that diaper. Yeah... it's a little scary!
-Don't plan to sleep for the first few weeks. I literally would not get up while Alexander slept. How crazy! He was sleeping... I should have been sleeping, too! Next baby... you can bet that I will not watch baby sleep. Also, if your baby has his/her days and nights mixed up, plan to not sleep for a little longer than the first few weeks. (Yeah, it really sucks, but it will eventually end).
-Baby swings are your BEST FRIEND! It's worth the money times a million.
-Can a baby really splash like Shamoo the Killer Whale? Yes! I started wearing a towel over my clothes when bathing Alexander in his little tub.
-Bad ears are hereditary. I learned that fast. My bad ears during childhood = Alexander having tube surgery in about three weeks.
-When babies under a year old get the flu, they can't have any TamiFlu. They pretty much have to tough it out, meaning that YOU will tough it out as well.
-Take advantage and not for granted of all the wonderful diapers you get at your baby showers. When you have to start buying them yourself, they suck.
-Pick a good babysitter. A bad one will ruin your life until you find a better one. Never trust a "friend" who begs to watch your baby, and then changes her mind about a month into it. Get your baby on a list with a good sitter if you have to. A good sitter will make you feel at ease when you do have to be away from baby at work.
-The night that your baby finally starts sleeping through the night will feel better than two vacations, a pedicure, the best sex ever, and chocolate combined!
-Those cute Osh Kosh and Carters clothes will be outgrown FAST! You will also spend more money on your baby's clothes than your own... even if your baby already has a trillion outfits.
-Never say that you won't let your baby sleep in your bed. If you are exhausted and just want to sleep, you will sleep on glass in the rain if it meant that your baby will sleep!!! Sleeping with baby in bed is okay in my book if I am getting sleep at night!
-I was afraid that I would not know what to do with Alexander. It was scary, but it really does come naturally. You will love that baby more than you could ever imagine, and that will make you a good mom guaranteed!
There is a lot more that I learned, too. These are just some that I thought of off the top of my head. If any of my mom friends want to add their own things learned to my list, feel free!