the first month

The first night was definitely a daze, the hard meds wore off and the reality of my c section kind had set in. I will tell you, people make c sections sound like the end of the world, that you whimped out, or that they are 10x worse than they are. They aren't, it was/is fine.  I COULD NOT stop staring at Isla, if there was any doubt that miracles happen in this world, having a baby re affirms it a million times over.

almost a month!

We have had so much help this month! It has made our lives so much easier and happier so we can enjoy Isla without too many extra responsibilities.  Also, not having gestational diabetes anymore gives me all the feels.  I have been eating all the best kinds of carb loaded, sugar loaded, no holds bar kind of food.

also has my monster hands.

It's funny what you learn in the first month. People love to give unsolicited advice about kids (most of which is negative and not helpful, why is that?). However, so much practical stuff (where to place the tiny human, when you have to get things done for example) gets thrown by the wayside along with how amazing it is to bring home a tiny human that you have been waiting to meet for 10 months. I still look down and I am blown away to see a tiny nose that looks like mine and that she is laid back like her daddy (lord knows she didn't get it from me). Also, the hormones are so freaking real. I am not a big cryer (almost never) until I got pregnant. I have successfully cried while Craig was reading "I'll Love You Forever", when one of her newborn outfits didn't fit, and at 2 am looking at her thinking how I got so lucky to have this little family of mine.

she was so tiny and wrinkly.

We have been pretty lucky in the sleep and tears department. She has only stayed up all night twice and is sleeping 5 hours a stretch at night. I am a big believer in sleep training already but again our little one is so laid back that it's been easy. She hates dirty diapers, sponge baths, and having anything go over her head. Loves looking at herself in mirrors (I want to play Carly Simon while she does this), the doctor , her 4moms tub, and snuggling my face with her face after eating which is pretty much heaven.

I swear my child wears clothes and would ya look at that, I have real clothes on!

Here is what I have learned/figured out/done:
1. Changing pad covers are adorable but get dirty so fast. After washing our multiple times, I bought a pack of cloth diapers to put under her bottom when I am changing her AND I scotch guarded those suckers.  I also keep stain spray on a shelf in her room so I can spray her clothes before the hamper so I don't forget. (thanks mom for both of these!) . 

2. Reading Mommy Blogs (not individual blogs, the giant ones) is not especially helpful. I read the title very carefully before clicking to read the article. Again, sometimes I find them to be negative (I saw one titled, I never knew I would Hate my Husband. Our marriage is certainly not all rainbows and butterflies but I never HATE him nor do I need to read something telling me that is okay to.) no matter how realistic they are. I would rather take things as they come and try to find the silver lining in the situation instead of getting to an end of the article and reading a sentence, but I love my kids. Yes, she may keep me up all night and my back hurts from holding her when she can't stop crying and I know it will get harder as she gets older.  I know there will come a day where I am going to wish I could hold her to make everything better, a dirty diaper is her biggest problem, (I teach middle school, its so hard on kids) AND she wants me to make her feel better. This is the season of our lives and we work very hard to find the positive. I remind myself, "the days are long but the years are short." Stepping off my soapbox,  I LOVE mommy bloggers: Emily Ley, Aspiring Kennedy, Amanda Marshall, Liz Adams, Grey and Scout among others. They are so realistic and POSITIVE.

we stayed in bed until 11 one saturday, snuggling, drinking coffee, and watching movies. 

3. Waiting until you are exhausted is not the time to take a nap. One time it ended with me standing in my parents room sobbing and no one could help because I had to feed her. We just put an emergency feeding in the freezer in case there is a day I just need to sleep.  Still say please and thank you when you are exhausted. When I have been demanding is when Craig and I have not had our best moments.

4. You have to laugh. I have been pooped on, projectile spit up (so nasty, worse then poop when it goes down your shirt)  and if I didn't laugh, I would have cried or at least been really upset. I stuck her in her carseat and took a shower....while she watched, which has not gotten any less weird.

#firsttimemom SO many clothes went on this child the first weeks of her life. gotta keep her warm!

5. OMG for the love of pete, prep the pet. Why we put this off until you know, we brought her home I will never know.  I was beside myself when Nimitz didn't immediately like her (he is still indifferent). my mom worked really hard with him the first week and we try to make him feel like an only child still once a day. Along with walks, they are good for everyone. 

everyday! We say hello to all the old people in our hood, we love them.

6. Finally, I try to use my brain for something other than feed, change, sing, soothe everyday. I literally could not string together two words for a coherent conversation outside my house until I did so. I'm pretty sure my new neighbors think I am the dumbest person alive from our (mercifully) brief conversation.

you know you are a mom when....you watch your kid do tummy time like its the newest episode of Scandal. 

End game: I love her, I love being a momma. Month 1 was a SUCCESS!

side note: this has been the most positive I have been in my entire life...as my husband just pointed out. Maybe thats the secret ;)