Having Ashton was probably the scariest, most AWESOME thing that has ever happened to me. That boy has changed me so much since I saw that pregnancy test become positive. Fear, happiness, anxiety, motivation, awe, love and powerlessness are just a few of the emotions I have experienced over the past few months. Needless to say I have learned a lot.
Being a mom has taught me many things, some are very personal, some are practical, while some make me chuckle. Here are just a few of them...
10 Things I Have Learned About Having A Baby
1.)
You are no longer in control. You have some control over what he eats, where he sleeps & plays but the rest is up to him. Now you just have to pray that he doesn't get sick, that you burped him enough, that he will eventually poop, that he won't get fussy when you go out to dinner, and that someone else up there is watching over him too.
2.)
Gas drops are AWESOME SAUCE! Two drops in the bottle with every feeding keeps that painful gas at bay. Gripewater is a life saver for immediate relief, although I haven't needed it since he was two months old.
3.)
Once you think you have that little one figured out, he promptly proves that you absolutely do not.
You are on his time now, and its amazing to watch them go through growth spurts, trying new foods, begin to sleep through night (with that one night where he keeps you up for hours), he used to like laying on his side, but now he just wants to sleep in this one really uncomfortable looking position. He used to make this cute face where he puckers his lips, but now I get a handful of new cute faces. He no longer wants to recline, he wants to sit up or stand. Just a few examples.
4.)
Diapers, Diapers, Diapers... can't get enough of them. I'm not sure about girls, but my little boy has a bladder the size of a skittle I swear. I can barely have a diaper on him for 2 minutes before he pees in it. Ive realized that changing him after a few pees makes more sense than changing him every time. Pampers Swaddlers are my preference.
5.)
The GLORIOUS BATH, this is my son's absolute favorite part of the day. He loves the warm water on his soft skin, thinks its hilarious to splash me, likes to pee in the water so I have to drain it and refill it and then tries to taste the soapy water. If he is having a bad day and is really fussy, a bath is my go to. It turns that frown upside down.
6.)
The gift of song. I sing Ashton to sleep every night. He loves music in general, but something about mommy's soothing voice puts him to sleep in about ten minutes every time. Don't worry if you "can't sing". The beauty about babies is that they have no sense of judgement and they will still think that anything you do is amazing no matter what you sound like.
7.)
Burp, burp and burp some more. Not all babies are gassy, but I have found that most do have issues with gas. If that baby falls asleep with the bottle in his mouth, burp him anyway, even if it wakes him up. Id rather have an awake baby than one that has painful gas later.
8.)
Talk to your baby. I talk to Ashton all day long. I explain what I'm doing, when I'm cooking dinner, when I'm letting the dog out, when I'm folding laundry, when I'm cleaning, he really is taking in more than you realize. I don't talk like a baby when I talk to him either. I see the little wheels turning while I talk to him, and he watches my every move. Who knew I was so entertaining?!
9.)
Socialize your baby. No parent wants their child to get sick, but if there are no siblings or animals in the home your baby needs to interact with other children and animals. Ashton absolutely loves our dog, Nishka. He reaches for her, laughs at her, thinks its funny when she licks him and they have a bond that is so fun to watch grow. He has no siblings yet, but I take him to the park, let him interact with his cousins and other play date scenarios. I also try to let friends that are new to him hold him so he gets used to interaction with different people. Its great for the development of social skills and will help him gradually build immunity.
10.)
Its true, they grow way too fast. Cherish every moment, every phase, every milestone, every late night, every good day and bad day. These moments are fleeting and one day you will miss them.
I realize that not every child is the same, and some babies may not need to be burped as much or like baths. I also realize that not every mother will agree with these lessons I've learned, but I would hope that they would agree that being a mom is a learning process and its the most amazing feeling in the world. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Written With Love, Paige
