Averyana is 4 weeks old today! I swear it seems like just yesterday I was pregnant and wondering if she was ever going to come out. The saying is defintely true, time flies when you are having fun! I think my first month as a mommy have been very fulfilling and I couldn't be happier. Here are a couple things that I have learned and observed about caring for a newborn over this first month.
1. All those books I read and subjects I researched on the internet does little to truly get you prepared for what is to come. Yes, it's nice to feel like you are educated, but I think most of it comes naturally.
2. Averyana likes to trick us by pretending to go to sleep. Billy or I will be holding her and she appears to fall directly into the land of dreams but the second you put her in her crib those eyes snap wide open and she stares right at you. I swear if she could talk she would say, "Gotcha!" It's hialrious. We have learned to do what we call the arm test. When she seems to be asleep you raise her arm and let it drop. If she pulls it back in, or has any reaction at all, she is not asleep and the minute you put her down she will let you know this. If the arm drops and she doesn't even flinch, she is in deep sleep and you can proceed to put her in her crib.
3. Her sneezes, farts, burps and other noises she makes are truly the cutest thing I have ever heard. She can fart louder and longer than her daddy but it always makes us smile. As the weeks progressed she continues to make new noises all the time. Recently she has started what we call her monster noises. The only way to describe them is they kind of sound like she is clearing her throat. She makes these noises ALL the time. Even when she is sleeping. The other night Billy was burping her and she raised her arms up and was making the monster noises, it looked like she was trying to scare me!
4. Lets talk about changing diapers. The first night in the hospital she had already pooped and peed on Billy. She has continued this up until now. The incident that sticks out in my mind is in the car on the way back from Oklahoma. I was in the back seat changing her poopey diaper, I had just taken off the dirt diaper when she decided she was not done. Out comes the poop and on instinct (and not wanting to ruin her outfit!) I caught the poop in my hand. Yep. Gross to most, but since she is my baby it wasn't that bad. Sure it was warm and gooey, but I just wiped it off and continued on! It's crazy how when you smell someone else's kid's dirt diaper it's all you can do not to vomit, but with your own kid it doesn't phase you at all, maybe it's because she is too darn cute!
5. Having a baby means you're no longer thinking of yourself anymore. You can wake up at 8am and not remeber to brush your teeth or take a shower until lunchtime! I'll be going about my day and when I finally look in the mirror I'll realize I am still wearing my pjs and I look like hell. When I have some free time for myself it often means deciding what I need the most- a nap, shower, or just time to sit and chill. I have realized it is very important to make time for yourself or you will go crazy. I am lucky in that I have Billy who helps temendously so I am able to read and soak in a bath or go get my nails done.
5. Having a baby means you're no longer thinking of yourself anymore. You can wake up at 8am and not remeber to brush your teeth or take a shower until lunchtime! I'll be going about my day and when I finally look in the mirror I'll realize I am still wearing my pjs and I look like hell. When I have some free time for myself it often means deciding what I need the most- a nap, shower, or just time to sit and chill. I have realized it is very important to make time for yourself or you will go crazy. I am lucky in that I have Billy who helps temendously so I am able to read and soak in a bath or go get my nails done.
6. 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a distant yet sacred memory. Averyana is an amazingly good baby and we are very lucky. She still wakes up every 3-4 hours to be fed. I am also very lucky that I have someone to get up with me and to take turns with. Every time she cries though, whether it's my turn or not, you are awake and ready for action. I would say you get used to it, and you do somewhat, but every couple hours when you wake up it is really hard. Until you get her bottle, hold her in your arms and look into her eyes. Your heart fills up with the love you have for her and you don't mind that it's 4am and you will probably be up with her at least 45 min. to an hour before she will go to sleep again.
So far, being a parent has it's frustrating moments but there is nothing in the world that compares. I would not trade it for anything. I feel like my life finally makes sense.
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