Due to my recent adventures in the parenting world, I have turned often to my copy of What To Expect: The First Year. However, I find the authors have left out a few bits of critical information.
Such as:
- You can expect to lose your mind. You will zone out in the middle of conversations, scripture study, and anytime you are on your way to get something, causing you to stand in the kitchen with a dumb look on your face not knowing why you are there.
-You can expect to feel stupid when you can't remember the words to any lullabies in the middle of the night and end up singing cheesy Disney love songs instead.
-You can expect to be very productive one day(productive meaning you got dressed before noon and made dinner) and be back to your sleep deprived zombie state the next.
-You can expect to HATE mirrors or reflective windows or any other shiny surface.
-You can expect to feel like a cow (both in shape and purpose)
-You can expect to find your self standing around rocking back and forth hours after you put the baby in her crib.
-You can expect strangers to come up to you no matter where you are and touch your baby.
-You can expect your arms to ache after holding your baby because she cries as soon as you set her down.
-You can expect to get excited about poop and cheer when your baby finally produces the right kind of yellow colored substance.
So if I have discovered this many critical detail my dear book failed to warn me of, I can't help but ask what else can I expect???????
10/23/2017
6 years ago
You can expect to wake up in the middle of the night searching for your baby that you insist has suffocated in your bed sheets because you fell asleep while nursing...again. It happened to my husband too...explain that one! You are a trooper. That was a funny list, and so many of them felt so familiar! The first few months are just hard and so full of transition. I promise it gets easier. You're doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I really love you! I love your vulnerability!! It's crazy how a little thing can flip your world around.. especially to such confident girls like us! I remember when Ben was like 10 days old and Aaron woke up to me BAWLING! I had been awake all night trying to get him to sleep and I was a total crazy person.
ReplyDeleteLet yourself have a couple of months to recover and I PROMISE there will be a day when you say, "Hey, I am starting to feel somewhat normal! This feels GREAT!" And also be grateful that you don't have to go back to work... I have NO IDEA how working moms do it.
ps. loved the entry-- very well written, very creative! Love you!
I loved the part about feeling like a cow. There were days I felt like, "Can I just put these things away!?"
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is AMEN!!!!! I am really sorry that life has been so rough for all of you. You have been on our mind quite a bit. Try to take care of yourself. You are amazing.
Love,
Brianna
I'm so sorry about your mastitis, the thrush, etc. I wish you were still around so we could help a little!
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister! Anytime you want to commiserate, you know my number--we can whine and complain to each other! You, however, seem a lot more put together than I...
ReplyDeleteYou are so good already. To understand all of this so soon. Bryson asked me why my butt was so big still when Carson was a month old. I told him that his butt was big.
ReplyDeleteYou can expect that it gets better.
ReplyDeleteSomehow. Someday. Things start to click and life becomes a new kind of normal (I think a better kind of normal). Hang in there!
Rachel I don't know anything about having a baby to care for all the time and I don't think I can imagine the responsibility until I experience it. I enjoyed what you wrote because it's real. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you. I'm not close by, but I still love you guys :)
ReplyDelete