Things I’ve Learned
Today, Beanie is three months old. He’s officially an infant and not a newborn, but don’t tell that to my womb. It will make her feel so old.
In three months time, my entire life has changed. So has Chris’. So has Beanie’s. He’s actually got one now! (Oh, man. I crack myself right up sometimes)
Yep, things have changed ’round these parts and with change better come some lessons learned otherwise you’re not living fully. Here are things that I have learned as a new mom in the past three months.
Socks keep your baby’s feet from getting cold and you from sucking on his toes all day.
Strollers are entirely overrated.
Sadly, Diaper Genies do not empty themselves. I find this an incredible design flaw.
Babies like to be fed the moment they realize they are hungry. Not 3 minutes later when you’ve got the bottle ready. Not after Oprah. Not the next time you have a minute. They like to be fed right then. Plan accordingly.
Babies are jealous that you get BBQ chicken and corn on the cob for dinner and all they get is milk. And that’s why they will inevitably start crying the minute you sit down to eat.
Keep your mouth closed when you’re changing a diaper. Especially if you have a baby boy.
Car seats are only safe if you buckle the child into them.
Babies like to sleep. Apparently, this doesn’t mean they hate you and are depressed.
Pediatricians are your best friends.
Strangers don’t care if your baby made the cutest face last night.
Do not imitated cute baby faces to strangers. Or anyone for that matter.
All baby toys eat batteries like candy. Buy stock in Duracell.
Babies are tired after a full day at daycare. So when they cry at night, it does not mean they want to be at the daycare instead of at home with you.
Even small hand toys can hurt when you step on them in the middle of the night.
You can make a schedule all you want, but your baby is just going to laugh at you.
Other moms will think they can do it better.
Neighbors will think they can do it better.
Your accountant will think they can do it better.
EVERYONE will think they can do it better, but you’re way is the only right way for your baby.
If you don’t speak up for your baby, no one else will.
Dads make the best tummy blubberers.
You will get just as wet and soapy during bath time as your baby does.
Despite what your husband tells you, you cannot put chocolate syrup in the baby’s bottle.
The Good Lord chose you to be a parent and that makes you the best mom in the whole world.
Contrary to what you might believe, the daycare workers are not plotting to turn you baby against you.
Baby burps stink.
Changing dirty diapers isn’t so bad. It isn’t so great either, but its not so bad.
Rocking babies to sleep is just as much for the mom as it is for the baby.
Babies may only be 24 inches long, but they take up a LOT of space.
You always have the strength to be there for your baby. Even when you don’t think you do.
Buy a pee pee tee pee. Buy many of them.
You can’t rush a baby. He’ll eat when he wants to eat, sleep when he wants to sleep, and poop when he wants to poop. Be prepared to slooooow down.
Being a mom is my greatest accomplishment in life and I’m only three months in.
35 Comments
Lisa
Okey dokey. I’m the third oldest of eleven kids, four of them boys, and I’ve helped raise the last four or five of them. But I have to admit that I’m completely clueless as to what a “pee pee tee pee” is. Something to quell the founts that spring fourth? 😉
Katie
That’s exactly what it is!! I’ll post pictures of one this week. They are pretty funny looking, but extremely helpful! – Katie
Lori at I Can Grow People
Isn’t motherhood awesome?! It’s just so awesome!
Congrats to you, Chris and Beanie for making it through the last 3 months!
kate
I completly agree with the diaper genie comment!
Lauren
One of my favorite posts EVER!
Everything you said is SO true. And guess what – it only gets better from here on out… he will just get cuter and more wonderful every day.
I look forward to more “lessons learned” as the months go by.
Enjoy!
Debra
I am a lurker coming out of hiding (finally, sorry) to say I really enjoyed this post. I enjoy your entire blog, but this post was so sweet and particularly touching to me…you see, my hubby and are considering starting a family and I am terrified of many aspects of it. But you. You have had a way of giving it to me straight, and it alleviates a lot of my fears. So thank you for keeping it real!
Katie
I’ve learned more than ANYTHING that parenthood isn’t nearly as scary as everyone makes it out to be! If Chris and I can do it, anyone can! – Katie
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Wow. You have learned a LOT in three months. Probably more than any other three month period of your life.
And you only think strollers are over-rated because you have one child. When you have a nineteen month old and a newborn, stroller will be your best friend.
Kristen
I laughed out loud when I read the changing diapers one! It reminds me of the advice the doctor gave my grandma when she was pregnant with my uncle after having three girls,it was simply,”Duck.”
Sarah H.
Great post. My favorite is “The Good Lord chose you to be a parent and that makes you the best mom in the whole world.” Because women just don’t hear that enough!
Hillary
Great advice! I don’t have kids yet, but I feel like I’ve already learned a lot about parenting a newborn from you.
Kate
Bravo! My husband especially agrees on the “baby burps stink” lesson. He’s in charge of bottles/formula burps. Breastmilk burps don’t stink as much according to him. (Bridget gets both)
TeamHaynes
You have now officially turned on the, “I want a BABY!” flasher in my brain. One day…one day! What a little darling!
Kara
You’ve learned a lot AND are doing a great job! Beanie is so lucky to have chosen you as a mom. Hilarious list! And I completely agree with all of them…except I’ve seen my husband put chocolate syrup in my 9 month old’s bottle. On 2 occasions, in fact, when I wasn’t home otherwise he would have been bludgeoned. All I saw was the tell-tale signs of Hershey syrup ring in the bottom of the bottle.
Danimezza
I’ll be looking at you for tips. My son is a week old today 🙂
andrea
i can’t believe that bean is 3 months old already! didn’t you just come home from the hospital like last week?!?!
great list though, i definitely agree with daddies being great ‘zerbert’ givers (that’s what we call them) my son is 2 and he still laughs the hardest when daddy is the one blowing on his belly.
i tried to comment on your last post about 4 times but nothing would come out right. i was having pregnancy writers block, but i wanted you to know i tried!
Katie
I know! Time flies when you’re getting peed on, I guess! – Katie
Tressa
Great list!! I also love the one about The Good Lord choosing you to be Beanie mom! It was NO mistake!
Keep up the good work…truly it only does get better!
Elizabeth
Hey Katie,
I normally love your posts, but today didn’t do it for me. Especially with god choosing you as a mother, for me it’s an active choice to stop using birth control. Don’t mean to be critical – it’s wonderful that you are so happy with your family and that things are working out. I don’t have kids, so I’m sure that many will comment that I don’t get it. Didn’t want to be a silent reader any more!
Katie
Hi Elizabeth – Thanks for the comment. You know how much I love honesty! And I don’t think you “don’t get it” cause you don’t have kids. We did actively stop using birth control! So that’s totally one way to look at it! Happy Tuesday! – Katie
Rachel P.
This is such a cute post… AND Beanie is just precious!
Casey
After reading your list, I am so glad that my guy has never shot pee at me! ick!
naomi
hey Katie.
Have you got any advice – today is my 25th birthday and before I reach my 26th birthday my husband and I plan to try for a baby (around maybe June/July next summer) any suggestions on what to indulge in before we leave the realm of being “childless”? {Other than oodles of sushi}
andrea
naomi, definitely take a vacation that you have always wanted to go on. whether it’s a road trip to some place you’ve never been or a long weekend to jamaica (which i very much recommend) just go and don’t feel bad about it. that is the thing i think i miss the most, because even though we have traveled a few times with our son, i would still love to go away with just my husband. and it’s not that we can’t go or don’t enjoy family vacations but i still don’t want to miss that time that i’d be away from my son. and it is loads easier to travel with out a little one 😉
naomi
hey andrea.
thats great! we are actually planning to “re-do” our honeymoon: driving all of route 66 to the grand canyon and hike it again and stay down there for a week.
Lindsay
Ha, that was hilarious. It is amazing how they know the exact moment you sit down for dinner to start crying…such talented babies we have!
Casey
Pee pee tee pees! We used those for my nephews… they were AWESOME!
Great post, Katie!
Jen
I am just wondering is there a story to go with the comment about changing baby boys diapers with your mouth closed? I can only imagine.
Kate
Awesome lessons. Congrats on surviving 🙂 I can’t wait to learn some of these myself sometime soon!
Megan E
So true! My son is 10.5 weeks, so we are right there with you! And mommies aren’t the only ones who need to keep their mouths closed whilst changing baby boy diapers . . . baby boys do, too! blech! Why IS it that everyone thinks that they know what your baby wants/needs more than you do??? It’s so frustrating! Anyways, I love this post! It’s right up there with the shots post (which I reread three times in the days leading up to Eli’s appointment.)
holly (your biggest fan, aka NOT fat fan)
hilarious.
my favorite lines?
*other moms will think they can do better. neighbors will think they can do better… etc.
and:
*you can make a schedule all you want and all they will do is laugh at you.
AMEN to those.
and yes, my boy peed in my mouth, too. kthx.
whitney
Seriously LOL’d at imitating baby faces to strangers or anyone else. Oh my goodness, hilarious. Love this list!
Camille
I will not rest until I learn exactly what is a PEE PEE TEE PEE, and what function it serves.
Janet
Okay, I see that several others have commented on the ‘pee pee tee pee’. But, last week, I DID promise to comment more, so here I am! 🙂 Never heard of this baby item…and I’m very curious. I have 14 and 7 yr old boys and don’t recall any such thing when they were in diapers. Very curious, but I’m going to resist checking out walmart.com and wait for your followup post. 😉
Ana
Haha! I love the pee pee tee pee one, because I remember your post where you talked about them. Now YOU’re the one who can’t live without it!