Things I've discovered during motherhood

I've decided to start a list of things that either people told me about being a mom, or things that I have discovered on my own, that I have found to be very useful. They are in no particular order of importance, it's just what I thought of as I was writing. Some are practical, some are just facts of motherhood. The tips come solely from my experience, some have a smattering of child development thrown in. Enjoy =)

1. Sleep when the baby sleeps. This definitely is true, as you don't realize how tired you get, even just from getting up once during the night to feed the baby. You need naps. It sounded totally stupid when people would tell me this, but the number of naps I've taken since I became a mom has been more than quadruple what I've taken in the last year.

2. It will get easier. It will. If it didn't, all moms would have long since given up the career.

3. When shopping somewhere you will be using a shopping cart (i.e.: Target, the supermarket), park as close to the cart corral as possible. The last thing you'll want to do is unload your car, put your baby in the car, then have to walk half way across the parking lot to return the cart with the baby in the car. You also won't want to keep the baby with you, walk half way across the parking lot, and then have to carry the baby back to the car. If at all possible, park right next to them. Better yet, park next to the one that's the closest to the entrance/exit. This tip is exceptionally handy when the weather is lousy.

4. You have no idea how in love you'll become with your baby. You'll discover that there is nothing in this world you wouldn't do for your child. Your baby is the cutest thing in the world. You'll want to hold your baby all the time, and smother them with hugs and kisses. The amount of love you feel will make you cry.

5. Read a bedtime story to your child. Read to them anytime! It's an amazing way to bond with them, and it really helps them settle in for the night, and they like to look at the pictures. It's an integral part of our bedtime routine.

6. Set your bedtime routine early, and stick to it. This will become the rock of your day, and your baby will come to expect it. We did this just because it seemed like a good idea, and it's really worked well. We started around 2 or 2 1/2 months, and it's been the best thing we could have done! Even in the most unstructured of days, you'll know that you'll be putting your baby to bed in the same way every night, and s/he can look forward to that quiet time with mommy and/or daddy.