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Monday, April 30, 2012

Things I Learned In The Last 12 Months From Being a Mommy

I saw this idea on another girl's blog so here is my own attempt at it.

v  You don’t need as much sleep as you think you do. But try to have one day a week you can sleep in or nap. It makes a world of a difference.

v  Going to bed early is nearly impossible. Those short hours of hubby or alone time after baby is in bed is crucial for your sanity. 

v  Being a stay at home mom doesn’t mean you’re lazy and get to sit and write at a blog and on Facebook all day. It means you’re a teacher, a doctor, a cook, a laundry mat, a maid, a handyman, an accountant, a pet sitter, a gardener, a chauffeur, and tired.

v  Being a stay at home mom doesn’t make me better than a working mom. It just makes us different- but both equally tired and both equally full of love for our children.

v  Working out is nearly impossible with a baby. If you try and work out at home while baby is napping, he WILL wake up. If you try and work out while baby is awake, she will need your attention the whole time…or at least crawl on you while you are trying to do downward facing dog or sit-ups. 

v  Going to the gym isn’t an option for everyone. Sometimes it’s hard financially and sometimes your baby will just plain hate the childcare there and cry till you return. Talk about breaking mommy’s heart. 

v  Don’t let being a mommy be an excuse to not take care of yourself. Find a way to be active. 

v  Don’t fret too much over your post-baby bod. That body just did something that is a miracle. It grew, protected and nourished life inside it for 9 months. And then it stretched and pushed a watermelon out of it. Impressed? You should be.

v  Getting back to your pre-baby weight doesn’t mean that clothes will fit the same. You probably will need to buy a whole new wardrobe with new jewelry and shoes to match. And maybe get a cut and dye to match your new purse. 

v  If you expect your kids to eat healthy, have the same expectation for yourself. I have noticed lately that I will give baby a bowl of fruit and sit down to a bowl of ice cream for myself. Not cool, mommy, not cool.

v  Don’t feel guilty about that brownie you ate after dealing with tears and tempers from a teething baby. 

v  Sometimes your legs will get prickly from not having time to shave. A little lotion helps.

v  You may get multiple in-grown toenails from swollen pregnancy feet. Yes they hurt really bad. No they are not always a result of poor grooming. Yes after a few short surgeries they should be better, just hold off on the pedicures for a few months.

v  All that thick pretty hair during pregnancy…yeah, it falls out. And keeps falling out a year later. You might feel like a Golden Retriever on a hot summer day. 

v  Buy something pretty for yourself. 

v  Germs are inevitable. Try to avoid them in the first few months. After that, deal with it and try to enjoy life. I lived in fear for too long and probably missed out on some fun things. One exception: if it’s the stomach flu. RUN! Also, take lots of vitamins and use hand sanitizer.

v  Be respectful of other people and do unto others as you would have them do to you. If your kid is sick, do your absolute best to not share.

v  Slow-cooker meals are inexpensive, easy and make clean up after dinner a breeze. Plus it gives you time to spend with baby and hubby when he first gets home from work. 

v  It’s okay to pass the baby off to husband when he gets home. Sure, let him change, but you worked hard all day too and need a break. Plus, daddy’s miss their kids too! 

v  Sneak in a hug and kiss from hubby first thing when he gets home. It makes you both feel loved and remember it’s not just about baby. It’s about your marriage too!

v  Cloth diapers are cute to look at….

v  Go on a date with yourself. 

v  Now go on a date with your husband. Don’t wait till the kids are all grown up to spend time with him. Baby’s have a really sneaky way of making you not realize how little time you have spent together.  Your relationship IS IMPORTANT!!

v  Find little ways to show husband that you love and appreciate him. Being a daddy and husband is hard work too!

v  Take time to pray and be with God. He wants a relationship with you too!

v  Money always stretches farther than you can imagine. Trust God and keep on giving to others and you will be amazed at how it returns to you.

v  When you feel lonely, remember that there is another mommy out there lonely too. Then go find her.

v  Mommy’s moms are super important. They don’t mind if you cry or speak irrationally in the middle of the night. Even if they live 12 hours away, their voice on a phone makes everything better.

v  Baby hugs and kisses are the best thing in the world. Take every moment possible to love on him before he grows up a little and is too embarrassed to give kisses.

v  Stop comparing your baby to others. You probably always will to some degree but remember that just because Johnny was walking at 6 months and talking in complete sentences at 8 months, doesn’t mean your child is behind. It just means they’re lying. 

v  Taking a million pictures of your baby and posting them on Facebook doesn’t mean you think everyone has looked at or wants to look at all of them. It just means your proud of your baby and want everyone to know. And it’s a good way to store photos. 

v  It’s okay to start a blog and only write in it 4-5 times a year.

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