What I've learned in a year as a new mom

Sleep is overrated. Friends, especially those who are in the same stage of their life as you, are invaluable! Nursing a baby is one of the most difficult acts that should be "natural". Putting a screaming baby down and taking a breath are therapeutic. It is possible to survive weeks of sleep deprivation, exhaustion and endless dirty dishes. Intimacy with my husband is redefined as when he says, "you've done so much for our family, please let me take care of the dishes so you can get a little extra rest." EWG.org is a great resource to find out what products are "clean" to use for my baby to use and eat. Sierra LOVES to pull tissues and wipes out of their containers. This also goes for toilet paper and paper towels. She is happy as a little clam with a plastic cup, it's lid and straw. They will keep her attention for at least 5 minutes. The scent of poop is no longer a bad thing, but something to be celebrated. As much as I want her to, she doesn't want to nap when I think she should, eat the way I think she should, or stay out of the open washer door, and she eats whatever she can off the floor. Traveling with a baby is easy. Traveling with a mobile baby is painful. Traveling with a toddler is excruciating. "No" is her favorite word. Closely followed by "uh-oh". Pictures are worth more than 1000 words and more about the contentment I feel in my heart. No matter how much I want to compare my child to others, I can't. It's an unfair exercise to attempt. Primarily because my kid will win. And if she doesn't, I'll make up another scenario in which she does. I can NOT wait for her to start drinking cow's milk next week! =) Two trips to the emergency room via ambulance are more than I want to have happen ever again. Febrile seizures are benign, though terrifying. My favorite possession is my phone. It's always there for me, it keeps my head straight(most of the time), I don't need to search for a pen and paper when I want to write down the last idea that popped in my head for the shopping list, plus it's entertaining and informative. When grandparents want to help let go of what I think should happen and let them do it. No matter what the "books" say, the baby will be fine if you don't explicitly follow every detail. Children have been growing up healthy for millennia without the perfect toy, sippy cup or laundry detergent. The best gift is a pat from a tiny hand on my back as I carry her to bed then kiss her good night knowing that tomorrow is full of adventure and gloriously happy moments!