i’m going to start today off with a #parenthack, since it’s monday and we could all use a little pick me up: get real familiar with what’s in your diaper bag. this may sound super obvious, but know what is where, and how much you have. trust me, your husband will be asking you where some obscure item is, and it’s so much easier [not to mention, more impressive], to quickly respond “honey, her pop out book on underwater basket-weaving is in the left interior pocket, right next to her 3948230498th wubbanub.”[yeah, those are things]
being a first time parent is a pretty scary thing. even the most ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ people tend to settle down and read all they can on what to do, and for sure what not to do. joey and i were no different – we had these very grand, very disillusioned ideas of what kind of parents we were going to be. here’s a couple of examples:
plan: baby sleeps in our bedroom, in a bassinet
reality: baby slept in a co-sleeper [this one!!!! much recommend], right in between us, from night two on.
you guys, i rush shipped the dockatot after our first night at home with logan when she screamed from 8pm on. i knew there was NO WAY i could try and manage without it, and all of you blogger mom’s spoke so highly of this dockatot sorcery, that i had to try it out. nevermind that i paid $40 on top of the already hefty price tag for shipping, we were getting aboard the co-sleeping train. and let me tell you, it was worth. every. penny. before i get in trouble for co-sleeping, we were up front with our doc, and made sure we did as much research as we could to make sure we were in a safe situation. eventually she moved to the bassinet, and at nine months when our doctor looked at us and said “she’s a big girl, she needs her space,” we moved her to her crib. but i wouldn’t trade that co-sleeper for anything. well, a new, non-drool covered one, i would i guess.
plan: grow a garden, make our own baby food
reality: HA! good one you guys. we had the best of intentions, we really did. we even have garden boxes out in our backyard. it never happened. even with joey being a teacher and home in the summer, we are just busy people. maybe this summer? all i can say is gerber is our bff. and while we are at it, pouches are lyfe.
plan: breastfeed for a year
reality: we made it 10 1/2 months. this one we gave a really valiant effort. joey supported me as best he knew how, fetching me water/remotes/computers/phones/hair ties/snacks/more snacks/pillows etc. whenever i needed it, because i was the sustaining life force for his child. that, and i think he realizes how much freaking work it is. i flew cross country with a pump and breastmilk multiple times, causing a few veeerrryyy young TSA workers turn fifty shades of red after i told them what those frozen bags were [should have seen how fast they handed my bag back]. i pumped four times a day while at work. i pumped in my car, in airports, malls, Targets, hotel rooms, in gas station bathrooms, in conference rooms, in offices. you name it, i’ve probably pumped there. i pumped at the playstation theater in times square, for heaven’s sakes. i don’t want to use the term ‘give up,’ because i don’t believe in quitting breastfeeding. it just didn’t work for my body to make enough milk for logan anymore. she was a haaanggrryy girl, and the stress of trying to save enough kept me from enjoying my time with my family. i quickly resented my husband for asking how much i had pumped that day. i about lost my mind when my mom fed logan our reserves the week before she started daycare. it just wasn’t working anymore. plus, logan was so squirmy, she wouldn’t sit still long enough to nurse by the end. we got her on formula and everyone was happy with it. [i also want to give a huge s/o to my extended fam on this one. every one of them to this day, still tells me how proud they are of me that we made it that long breastfeeding. yep, joeys mom/dad/gma, my mom/gma, etc. it’s precious, and really warms my heart]
these may have been our first, but they aren’t our last when it comes to pivoting as a parent. i have become much more go-with-the-flow, and while it comes easier to me than joey, we are both doing our best. i’ve adopted the motto “surviving, occasionally thriving.” so whatever you are doing, as long is baby is happy and healthy, it’s right.