Now that my son is almost 6 months old, I’m basically a pro at motherhood, right?? Okay, obviously not, but I have learned a few things along the way so far, so I thought I’d share my top 10 with you (though there are quite a few more), in no particular order.
1. You’ll have amazing hair days (when you actually get to wash your hair), but they’ll be thwarted by grabby little hands. You might even be more in love with your hair now than ever before (until that dreaded postpartum hair loss starts *shudder*), but it’ll spend a majority of its time in a messy bun or ponytail.
2. Being late is the new norm. I grew up being on time as a military brat and would stress if I thought I was going to be even a minute late. These days though, it’s not always so easy. I think it’s got to be a law that every time you are about to leave, your baby will be hungry or they’ll have a blowout. I think it’s a good rule to tell yourself to leave earlier than you have to (i.e. if you have to leave at 12:30, tell yourself 12), that way when the baby decides they are starving (even though you just fed them) or they have that blowout, you’ll actually be on time!
3. Speaking of blowouts, you can never pack too many outfits. It’s also a good idea to pack an outfit for yourself lest your baby decides to have one of those blowouts on you…in a restaurant…before your food has even arrived. Not that I would know from personal experience or anything…
4. The easiest way to wake up your baby is to grab food or close your eyes. They have a sixth sense about these things.
5. Sleep deprivation continues even when your baby starts sleeping through the night. Those precious hours after your baby goes to bed are the hours when you get the most done. Or you get nothing done except relax and feel human (which you should definitely do occasionally)! I’m not sure how many times I’ve woken up and told myself I was going to go to bed right after Hudson does, only to make it to that time and decide I’d rather stay up and get stuff done or relax. Inevitably, I’ll wake up the next morning telling myself that was not wise and that I should go to bed that night when he does. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what the end result is… It’s a vicious cycle.
6. Speaking of sleep- DO NOT TELL A SOUL YOUR BABY SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT! Why you ask?! Your baby will then NOT sleep through the night. I’ve jinxed myself a time or two…
7. Babies will make liars out of you again and again. Oh they did that really cute thing all afternoon? Here let me show you! *Baby stares at you like you’re crazy.* My son sleeps through the night! *Baby wakes up at 3am.* My baby never naps. *Baby falls asleep the ONE time you need them to be awake.*
8. You’ll want to take pictures and record pretty much everything they do because it’s all cute (even when they cry, because that lip y’all).
9. You’ll be happy to get time to yourself, whether it’s just you or it’s a date night with the husband, but you’ll miss your baby like crazy and want to snuggle them when you get home, or at least stare at them for a few minutes, because seriously, don’t ever wake a sleeping baby!
10. You’ll be exhausted and you might feel like a hot mess, but you’ll never be able to imagine loving anything more. I know everyone says it, but motherhood truly is amazing and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!