Thursday, February 3, 2011

Preparations

Other than the minor hang up of my snoring, things are moving right along with us and the baby. We have his room ready, clothes (lots of them) are washed and good to go. I have a good amount of diapers stocked up. I have read baby books and any info I can get my hands on. I have been cleaning and organizing whenever I have the time and energy. Even with all this we are so not ready for this little man. If you know me you know Im a planner. I like to have as much if not all things taken care of before the main event, but I know that no matter how much we try to prepare there is no way to really prepare for a baby. It's going to rock our world like we can't even imagine. So knowing that I'm to the point where I feel like we have studied as much as we can for the big test or trained for the race we are just ready to do it!! At least the delivery part. Because I cant breath, I dont sleep well, My back kills, I have been having contractions, Im tired, My acid reflux isn't better or gone, I don't want to gain more weight, some days my feet swell, And I'm ready to feel like myself again. So as much as I'm not quite ready for this little man and to be a mom, I'm ready to have him.

Top Ten Survival Tips for Parents of New Babies:

1.Trust Yourself


2. Lower your expectations


3.Accept all the help you can get


4.Get your priorities straight


5.Be flexible. Its much better to bend than to snap


6.Know yourself


7.Dont rock the cradle too hard


8.Keep your sense of humor handy


9.Take care of your spouse (S/He just might come in handy someday)


10.Dont ignore depression

Also found thins advice and love it.

1. The situation will always change.
The baby will eventually sleep through the night, and then he will stop sleeping through the night. Everyone will stop screaming at the same time and you will wish that you hadn’t gotten so upset because now all is peaceful. The laundry will get folded and then there will be a new pile. You will think breastfeeding is hard and then you will start table food and realize it’s 3 times more work. Your toddler will be potty-trained and then decide it’s not worth her time… and hopefully eventually start again? Please? So basically, don’t worry or get too stressed about what is going on at the moment. It will change and you might even miss it.

2. You will go entire days without getting one thing done. If you do get one thing done you are victorious. If you don’t, let it go.
Seriously, if you walked out to the mailbox, pat yourself on the back. Mission accomplished. That entire day you spent obsessed with a pile of dirty pans?… to the point that you showed up on your neighbors doorstep with tears in your eyes asking if she could hold the baby while you did dishes? I mean really, don’t be so hard on yourself.

3. You really can take them anywhere. Take advantage of it.
People will tell you that you can take a newborn anywhere and suggest that you do crazy things like tote the baby along to a nice dinner with your husband, or to a party in the Bjorn, or to the Movies (still not convinced on this one) and you should. This window is closing quickly. Take advantage. That bar crawl in Boston? People will be so amused by your questionable parenting that they will buy you drinks. Don’t judge me Jacinda.

4. Get out of the house.
The best thing I, er you, did was join Stroller Strides. Just stick with me here. It was a scheduled activity every morning that made you leave the house and didn’t require more effort than tennis shoes and sweats. It was social for you and baby and it was exercise. We know how you are about exercise. Somehow the promise of coffee and chatting afterwards, motivates you. So go do that. If not that, something that gets you out of the house every day before you realize it’s 5PM and you haven’t brushed your teeth yet.

5. Write it down, your brain is mush.
Remember how you once sat in meetings smugly judging that girl who wrote EVERY SINGLE THING down in a notebook? Well, shame on you because you are now that person. Write it down. You will not remember anything. ever. anymore. Need milk at the store? You will come home with 7 things and no milk. Write it down. Use your calendar & set reminders. No birthday party, dentist appointment, or lunch date is safe. You will not be there unless you write it down















8 comments:

Cori said...

I love the diaper stash! Loving the decor! He will be one lucky little boy.

melissa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
melissa said...

The most important thing in your nursery....the Harry Potter books! I know you'll raise him right ;)

Love ya!

Ballard Family said...

Looks so cute!!!! CAN YOU SAY HOLY DIAPERS?!?!?!??!?!

John and Anna said...

Can I hire you to decorate my house?? Seriously! I made John look at all your pictures of your cute nursery and he looked at me like "What is wrong with you?" What you seem to do very naturally and effortlessly takes me months and many sleepless nights and it still doesn't turn out as cute!

Oh and I don't know that the feeling of being ready ever does come. I mean for your own body, yes, but ready or not, here these little ones come. :)

laci said...

Haha you crack me up, a GOOD amount of diapers??! Try a wal-mart supply! But that's awesome, you'll be so glad you're so prepared. But then again, if you're like me, I stock up a supply of something, and then I don't want to see it decrease, so I hate using them! :) love his nursery though, it's super cute. I've seen some of those trucks and planes and tractors too, around at stores and I have been tempted to buy some for the boy I don't even have! Love them. And don't worry too much about knowing what to do, it's one of those crazy things that just comes to you. Motherly instinct I guess! Not to say that it still isn't scary, but you will just do it cause that's what you have to do, and I know you will do great! I remember feeling so weird when we got home from the hospital and both Nate and I were just looking at navi in her crib, it was like, "what the heck do we do now?" :) she's still alive... ;)

Carly said...

I am LOVING the nursery. So stinkin cute!

Markelle said...

love the room, good job!

I totally agree with taking advantage of the newborn phase. they sleep all the time. go out and do things fo show!

one more thing. my advice is a book called babywise. not kidding it saved my life and I owe my children's wonderful sleeping habits to it. I.swear.by.it.