things i have learned

Being a parent is the most amazing, humbling, powerful experience of my life. It is more amazing then I ever thought it could be. I love my children in a way I didn't know I could love anything. After Quinn, at some point when I was up in the middle of the night rocking him I had an epiphany: Wow! My mom really loved me. I know that sounds weird, but it is true. I always knew my mom loved me, but I never got exactly how much until I had my own baby to love. I have learned lots as a parent and have a lot more to learn. This is just a catalog of the things I have learned. Be it obvious, mundane, life changing, or exciting it still counts as learning.

• Write it down and take pictures. You will forget!
• Soak poopy clothes right away! Baby poop is tough to get out.
• Nursing may be "natural", but it doesn't always come naturally. Lot of trips to the lactation consultant were involved.
• Nursing can seem overwhelming. I remember thinking, "I'm gonna do this for a year! Hell i don't know if I can make it a week." Then it was a month, 6 months, a year...and when it was done, I cried.
• Every child is different.
• Being a stay-at-home mom doesn't mean losing your identity. I have never felt more myself thanks to my blog (www.balancinghome.com) where I am learning new things all the time and my part time job.
• Read to your child! Even when Quinn didn't seem like he was that interested in it I kept reading. He loves books and can sit through very long stories.
• You can love a second as much as the first. (I am guessing this is true for all subsequent children).