Lessons Learned

Exactly one year ago today, at about 8 PM, my contractions began and we started a very wild ride…

As my first year of parenthood winds down, I just want to reflect on a few of the things that I have learned this year.

* Slow down! Whether it be in the car, at the grocery store, in my desire for the future. I have learned to stop, take a deep breath, and live RIGHT NOW.

* Don't let others dictate what kind of mother you are going to be. Do what works best for your family.

* Breastfeeding is AWESOME!!!

* Look forward to holidays again. For me, around the age of 14, the holidays (namely Christmas) started to lose their luster. For whatever reason my anticipation and excitement surrounding the holidays has been on a downslide for years but now I can't wait to make holidays special again. I even bought Jack a huge V Day balloon…..and I HATE Valentine's Day.

* Have the courage to read out loud. I have had terrible anxiety about reading aloud since a very young age. Maybe it's because when I read out loud in class I felt like every one was watching me, which would cause me to get nervous and stumble and stammer like a fool. And while I still stumble on occassion while reading to Jack, I know my audience doesn't care...he just likes my voice :)

* It is possible to become a more patient person. Just have colicky, terrible-sleeper-for-the-first-5-months-of-life baby.

* Just because you are Mom does not mean you have to wear "mom" jeans, cut off your hair, and never have a cocktail again.

* Sometimes being an adult sucks! Ok, I may have kind of known this before Jack but having your own child makes the stakes go up, way up.

* Being alone is great….in small doses. I used to LOVE and cherish my alone time. I attribute it to only child syndrome. However, post baby, I admit I can't wait until "sleepy time" but after a few hours on my own I'm just lonely.

* "And baby makes three"= makes marriage even harder. I was totally one of those people who said "Oh we've been together for X years. It's like we are already married." And then I ACTUALLY got married and reality set in. Something inexplicable happens when you say I do (or at least it did for us). But then you throw another curveball, aka the baby, and you are left figuring life out all over again. For me, I had this picture in my head of exactly what kind of parent Justin was going to be and that was very unfair to him. Let's face it, this was a major first for both of us. Over the past year, I have had to learn to bite my tongue if J doesn't do something EXACTLY the way I would…in fact I'm still working on it. I think both of us have also had to adjust each other's new title and the new characteristics that parenthood has brought out in our personalities. Let's face it, "Lindsey" today is NOT the same "Lindsey" as a year ago.

* That being said, we make really cute babies ;)

* I DID learn all of the words to the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"!

* It's ok to not instantly fall in love with the little bundle of joy. Give it a few weeks and he WILL become your everything. (Thanks Cole!)

* Being a parent is HARD work but it is the MOST rewarding experience of my life.

* I have learned that am stronger than I ever knew…

There is so so so much more…What an incredible year!



Lindsey