11 things in 11 weeks

i was thinking about writing a blog post about what i have learned about being a new mom, and what we have learned as parents. i had thought about doing 10 things in 10 weeks, but "10 things" is sooo overdone (or 10 weeks passed and i totally missed it... you choose). So I am doing 11 things in 11 weeks. Except Levi won't be 11 weeks old until Tuesday. But by the time Tuesday comes, who knows if I will have a brain or a sleeping baby.

so roll with us. we are doing it early
(and yes... 11 weeks already. Can you freakin' believe it)

So here we go:

#1.  Putting on a pair of jeans and brushing your teeth really. does. help.  Never before has showering made me feel like such a new woman.

#2. You'll get it. For the first week of his life breastfeeding was the most confusing, overwhelming thing you've done. And then YOU FIGURED IT OUT.
Go figure. I am pretty sure the rest of his life will function the exact same way. Teething, solid foods, kindergarten, the first girlfriend. It will all be confusing and overwhelming.
 And then....... we will figure it out.

#3. You don't have to be supermom. Cookies can be store bought. And your husband can pull a dirty plate from the dishwasher. Sleep and babies are precious.

#4.  Enjoy it!! I wanted to say enjoy every minute of it. I love being a mom. I especially love being Levi's mom. But in between all the wonderful minutes are some poopy, fussy, and i-am-so-freaking-tired minutes. Every minute might not be enjoyable. But enjoy it. I don't think there is anything quite as wonderful as baby smiles.

#5.  This is THE BEST THING YOU WILL EVER DO

#6.  This will also be hardest thing you will ever do

#7.  Give your body some leeway. Yah some moms have the body of a supermodel within 2 days of popping out their baby. You might not. That little pot-belly will fade (maybe not fast enough for your liking... does anyone else think summer is approaching quickly?????.... but it will..... i hope)

#8.  Roll with it.  Conversations about poop, puking and crying is the new you. Never before have you found such topics so fascinating.

#9.  Use the books as a guideline.  It's a good thing Levi had his 6 week appointment at 8 weeks. All the questions I answered yes - would've been no's two weeks before. So he's a little late with the smiles - he's ahead with some other things. He. Is. Perfect.

#10.  Laugh at yourself. Laugh when you get peed on, laugh when he crys for the first time that day while you are out shopping, laugh when you drop a package of wipes on his head, laugh when you are ready to head out to church and you get puked on, laugh when your saturday morning involves scrubbing poop out of a onesie. This is real life. Don't confuse it with Pinterest, Facebook, and perfectly-poised-pictures. Real life is messy and wonderful.

#11. Probably the most important one ever!
You are the best mom for your baby. His favourite way to be talked to, his favourite way to be held, his favourite way to be fed - are the way MOM does it. Doesn't matter if you don't think you're doing it right. He Does.


So that's some of what I've learned.
In 11 weeks.
I can't imagine what months, years, and decades will bring. Maybe I will look back at this and think, "lady you had no idea!"

But I think that's what life is about. You have ideas about dating, marriage and LABOUR. and then you look back and realize, "lady you had no idea"

so we're doin' it the Passchier way. figuring it all out 1 diaper change at a time!