- Enjoy sleep: Naps, early bedtimes, & late mornings all in fresh sheets - free of milk leakage and baby spit-up. Enjoy your bed with just you, or you and your other. It's unbelievable how much room a miniature person can take up - for real, like ALL of it!
- Shower longer: I've never been one for long, drawn out showers. You get in, clean, get out. I always wondered how people could be in there for 25 minutes when I could be in and out in 5 -10 if I shaved my legs. If I could go back.. I would SO have those 25 minute showers. I would stand there and enjoy every second. Currently I'm lucky if I get to shower alone. If I am alone, I can here her screaming...
- Eat while it's hot: I can't count the amount of cold dinners I have eaten in the past 4 months. Enjoy the ability to eat hot food, with both hands free.
- Spend time alone: this becomes pretty much impossible.
- Be spontaneous: It's not easy - or logical - to do things on a whim when you have a baby. I mean, deciding to go to the mall 5 mins before you leave is tough enough, but to decided to leave town on "the next ferry" isn't going to happen. There is far too much organizing and packing and planning.
- Going off of #5.. Pack light: There is no such thing as "packing light", anymore, YOU NEED EVERYTHING!!!
- Stay out late: Babies are creatures of habit/routine. Bedtime is a glorious time, however, missing bedtime makes for a cranky baby and a shitty night. Sometimes I hate that "we have to be home at ___ to put H to bed". Usually I don't mind because once she's in bed, I'm in bed. But occasionally I miss those late nights out.
- Love your body: For real, it could be worse. Have a baby and find out.
- Carry a small purse: Diaper bags are heavy. I've been packing around a giant purse full of shit for years now when I should have been carrying a wallet... though I do have the World's Best Diaper Bag - thanks to my besties!
- Spoil yourself: It will never be about YOU again. Ever. My favourite store is now a kid's clothing store, I spend hours searching eBay for baby things, I get invited places and if I don't bring H I can see the disappointment! I don't mind, and I knew it would be like this, it's just that it's easy to get caught up with all things baby and forget about yourself. It's okay to buy a new shirt, or get your hair done.. it's a nice break and a nice treat. You deserve it!
It's only been 4 months and they've been the best 4 months of my life. I wouldn't trade Miss H for any of those 10 things, ever, but sometimes it's crazy to look back on how different things used to be... It's so unbelievably crazy how someone so tiny can change your life in just a split second.
What do you wish you'd known?
9 comments:
I wish I had known how NOTHING is about you but at the same time EVERYTHING is about you. The responsibility, the intense emotions and love towards this little being, the chaos they throw into your life which is upside down in every corner.
I wish i took those trips, bought those kick ass boots and paid off all my debt.
This is a great post! Every word is true.
When mine where babes, I kept a diaper bag permanently stocked & ready to go. Military like organization made going out on a whim somewhat possible. Of course there's always those explosive diaper blow outs at the worst time!
Jessica
I want you to know that you will have numbers 1-9 back again (not 10 though, I don't think it's ever about you after that)! Seriously, I know it feels all consuming right now but you will blink and life will be totally different.
When Chicken was 13 months M and I went to Banff for a few nights and my mom stayed here and watched him. When he was 18 months old we went to Cuba and my in-laws stayed with him and when he was 2 I went to Montana for three days and Vegas for three days with my girlfriends while M stayed home and maned the fort and at 2.5 we left him with the grandparents to go on a cruise before baby 2 came. Currently, Chicken goes on sleep overs all the time to his grandparents. And it all happened SO FAST!!
Soon baby H will be so much more independent and that old life will creep back in a little bit at a time - promise! Or, at least that is what I keep telling myself haha!
I wish I'd known how easily a pregnancy can go wrong, lol.
Seriously, though, I wish I'd known that I will now cry at everything. Everything.
This is a great post, D. I'm going to enjoy my taxpayer-funded childcare and run home to a half-hour shower. :D
Numbers one and four! Lord how I wish someone had told me those and when I didn't listen hit me until the message got through. I would have spent my sick leave time lying in bed reading rather than making sure the house was clean for bringing home the baby.
I agree with all the numbers 1-10..some come back when the lil ones age :) I found it extremely hard for me when i was prego at 16..because after having my princess nothing was ever going to be about this teenager again! But as much growing up i had to do then to make me the person and mom i am today, i wouldnt change it for the world! :) xoxo
wonderful post. I think I need one like this too.
The only one that gets me is #1. Everyone told me to get more sleep in months 7-9. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep more than 3 hours in a row - it was practice, I've come to find out! :)
I got the pleasure of being added to your life and wouldnt have changed any of it for the world. You were the apple in my eye and hold a special place in my heart and all the star spinning and radio playing , blind just so was so worth it. You are a fantastic momma and Miss H is very lucky to have your as her Mom. Love you forever.
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