Momming Ain't Easy

So, it has been one month since I became a Mom. That is crazy to me for so many reasons. First off, I'm a mom. Secondly, it seems like Henry was just born yesterday, and yet, it's like we have always had him. There is so much that I don't know about how to raise a child, and I guess I'll continuously feel that way, since right when you figure something out, they grow up a little more and change on you.

The first few weeks home were difficult. I have never been so emotional in my life. I was happy to have a baby, but the reality of "I have a baby" kicked in and then it was more like " Holy shit, I have a baby, who needs me constantly and who I will be responsible for for the next 18 years!" I don't think that Hallmark makes cards that say " Do you know what you have gotten yourself into!?!" but maybe they should, just to warn soon-to-be mothers. My hormones have gotten in check since then and I haven't cried in days, not even at those Johnson & Johnson commercials. (Damn, I just watched this and teared up. Set the Cryometer back to zero)

During the day, Henry wants to be held constantly. Even while he sleeps. So I have taken to learning how to clean the house, eat my meals and even put on makeup with a baby strapped to my chest. Until about 4 months old, you can't spoil a baby with too much physical interaction, so I know that I am not ruining things for future me to have some time alone, but it sure takes a lot of time out of your day. If you don't plan out your goals each morning, by the end of the day, you realize that you have done nothing but increase the size of the dent in the couch. Babies are time burglars.

The most difficult part has been the adjustment to my sleep schedule. I remember thinking, while I was pregnant, "Yeah, I know babies wake up a few times a night, but that shouldn't be that bad." And it wouldn't be, if they just needed to wake up for five minutes to use the bathroom. They need to eat, be changed, be burped, and that can quickly turn into an hour long ordeal. You get them to sleep and two hours later, they are ready to do it all again. Luckily, we learned quickly that Henry sleeps longer if he is in his own room. We now go to bed around 9 PM to ensure that we have enough extra hours in the night to really sleep. But seriously, 9PM? It feels insane to go to bed that early, and significantly limits the amount of time that we have to spend together as a family at night. (IE - the number of shows we can watch).

But even with the limited knowledge that I have gained, I am comfortable that, for the most part, we are doing the right thing. And if not, there is always Google. I can't be sure of it, but I think that the incidence of crazy mothers as dropped significantly since the invention of the Internet. Instead of worrying and taking your kids to the doctor tons of extra times, you can just look up why your son is pooping grass green. And here I thought it was the open grazing in the yard. Looks like we won't have to break out the lawnmower after all.

But at the end of the day, I have this to look forward to:

From Random Henry Pics

Dressing babies up in adorable clothes is the best! (BTW- does anyone else think that he looks like a representative of the Lollypop Guild?)