I would like to dedicate this post to me... ha! Well to Rick and I celebrating surviving one year of parenthood! Here are the things I have learned through the last year:
1) Labor really isn't fun and having a C-section isn't that great either. To all you future mothers: Just go for the epidural, it is wonderful!
2)Breastfeeding isn't as easy as you would think. It's hard, and your body doesn't always do what you want. I nursed for about 4 months and I am glad I did, but it isn't always easy. I wanted to nurse so badly when I had Kendall but found out my body had other plans. I was pretty much forced to quit due to my body not agreeing but in the end was A LOT less stressed after switching to formula. I still wish I could have nursed longer, but oh well!`
3)Someone posted this on my facebook and it was so true: Every day will get easier. This is so true, especially in the beginning. I was so stressed that Kendall wasn't eating enough, I wasn't producing enough, and anything else I could find to stress about.
4)You can really function on little to no sleep! Those first 8 weeks were a blur in regards to sleep. Turns out our Kendall has since been an awesome sleeper and we are so lucky for that!
5)When in doubt, give the child your keys to play with. This works especially well in church. Sorry to all you germ phobes out there, but when you're desperate...
6)We should have went out more often before Kendall. We can never again just leave on a whim or decide 15 minutes before a movie starts to just go. We have had to plan our "dates" or going out. This was a big change for us.
7)Our child became the main topic in our lives. I have to remind myself that not everyone loves to hear about Kendall all the time! However, most of my blog posts relate to her :)
8)Kendall turning one is just as much of a celebration for us! Like my friend Michaela said, their first birthday is also an anniversary of becoming parents.
9)When times are bad things will always turn around for the better. It may take a month, but they will turn around! I had the worst December with Kendall being sick, teething, daycare drama, and separation anxiety. But things have been so much better since Christmas and are finally looking up!
10) Shopping alone is a HUGE privilege!! Kendall is NOT a sit still baby and doesn't really like to be strapped down to a stroller. With snacks galore, shopping is bearable, but I have learned to just find a babysitter when I need to do some serious shopping.
11)I never thought I would get so excited over things like Kendall rolling over, crawling, and walking. But I think with your first child it's just so exciting.
12)Grandparents are a huge blessing! They are great for babysitting and for spoiling your baby with extra love! Having some of them live near is an extra bonus!
13)Parenting is THE MOST challenging yet rewarding experience of your life. I never thought being a parent would be this hard OR this much fun!
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