In the past month...well really in the first week of Owen's life I realized some lessons:
You actually don't have time to have a shower. When I heard this about new mothers I would always think Really?! You can't just put the baby in a bouncy chair outside the bathroom and shower? Well you can, but when they are really young they will be wailing before you even set them down and you can't let a one-week old "cry it out". Water savings here we come.
People say the first two weeks are the hardest. Yes, they are hard - you have no clue what is going on, but there's nothing magic about the 2-week mark. Week 3 and 4 (and probably many more to come) are just as hard! We are settling into our days, but what has helped me the most is the appreciation that a "schedule" is not attainable right now. For a Type A like me this was / is a really hard thing to adjust to - feeding and sleeping patterns change daily and you just have to role with the punches (thank god for Canada's long mat leaves).
People say the first two weeks are the hardest. Yes, they are hard - you have no clue what is going on, but there's nothing magic about the 2-week mark. Week 3 and 4 (and probably many more to come) are just as hard! We are settling into our days, but what has helped me the most is the appreciation that a "schedule" is not attainable right now. For a Type A like me this was / is a really hard thing to adjust to - feeding and sleeping patterns change daily and you just have to role with the punches (thank god for Canada's long mat leaves).
Sleep when the baby sleeps - this is also advice countless people will give. I couldn't understand how you can sleep when the baby sleeps considering you have to shower, eat, and maybe talk to your partner at SOME point. This has gotten a bit easier in that I have realized that if I rest while the baby sleeps - even if he wants to be held - I can rest with him on my chest or in my arms and still get some rejuvination.
Even on the tough days the little one has more cuteness than you know what to do with. Frowns, tears, and wailing can be all be the cutest things you've ever seen...no wonder parents will do anything for their children...they suck you in from day one :) Countless minutes are spent staring at that little face - thinking of how the face will change, and how it will stay the same as the baby grows up.
And my final lesson learned...a baby demonstrates the strength of your relationship - when your partner is there to give you a break after a tough day, when he makes dinners, cleans up, does the dishwasher, laundry, cleaning all without a comment you realize how good you have it, then you see him with the baby...melt.
I will be back at some point with nursery details and other fun stuff...until then, Happy Fall :)
