10 Things EXPERT Moms Know Best

Recently, I went to a baby shower. They had us write advice for the mom-to-be on paper. I haven't been a mom for a long time, but Adelyn is almost 12 months and I feel like there are definitely some things that I am an expert at when it comes to being a mom. Not at everything of course, but there are a few things that I am REALLY good at. :) Here is my top 10 list of things I have learned and things that every mom-to-be should know. 

1. Expert Poop Cleaner -- Have a kid who can't stop pooping through their diaper? So do I! The secret to keeping those clothes clean and looking new is Zote soap or Fels-Naptha Soap. Cleaning poop has never been so easy. Watch the stains lift right off the clothes with minimal scrubbing. AND it can be used on the carpet, bouncy chair, blankets, couches, rugs, and whatever else your little one decides to poop on. :) Stains don't stand a chance with these two kinds of soap. They also work with food stains and puke stains, for when your little one throws up all over your spouses shirt. Happy scrubbing!

        

2. Expert Figure-outer-er -- It's amazing to me that moms just seem to know what their baby wants. Babies can't tell you what they want or what they are thinking because all they know how to do is cry. When I hang out with other moms and their baby cries, they always seem to know what to do to make their baby stop crying. Well, I am now an expert. At least when it comes to Addy. I can figure out what she wants when she cries and it's exciting! And the times I can't figure out what's wrong, we say, "She MUST be teething." (No teeth yet). If you are a new-mom or a mom-to-be, you will bond with your baby and learn what their different cries mean. Happy sleuthing!

3. Expert Chef --   I am pretty good at figuring out what Adelyn wants to eat and making sure the food is small enough so she doesn't choke. Addy loves bean burritos and cheese sandwiches. She also loves pastrami and pickles and Cheetos, and Cheerios, and apples and carrots and... Everything! She is not a picky eater. Oh... except broccoli. Blech. Addy hates broccoli. It is really fun to watch her try new foods. I can't wait until she grows teeth. Then I can introduce a whole new set of foods!

4. Expert Cuddler-- Addy is going through her separation anxiety phase. Lately she has been waking up in the middle of the night. When I go in there to check on her, she gives me the biggest hug. I cuddle with her for a few minutes and then put her back to bed. She gives the best cuddles. I love being a mom. Enjoy the cuddles while they are little and can't run away from you. Some of my friend's babies, who are Addy's age, do not like to be held or cuddled. I got lucky with a snuggler.

5. Expert of fun things to do -- Addy loves to dance! I discovered this one day when I was flipping through the channels and stopped on the Christian rock channel. Addy started dancing and singing. It was cute. I make sure we dance every day. She loves to kiss her stuffed animal. Her new favorite thing to do is walk all around the house (with help). Now that she is a little older she enjoys going to the zoo, the park, play dates, and walks around the neighborhood. She also loves to get into everything and constantly turns on and off the X-box. She recently discovered how to climb the stairs and likes to play peek-a-boo with her daddy through the baby gate. We are constantly trying new things. Sometimes the activity is not Addy's favorite so we try a different one. That's how you discover your babies personality and what they like to do. Maybe your baby likes to throw a ball, or read a book, or blow bubbles. You won't know unless you try.





6. Expert nurse --  Babies get sick. Babies get bruised. The first time Addy bumped her head, I was scared and nervous. I checked for a concussion and woke her up every hour to make sure she would wake up. Last week she got 4 bruises on her forehead. It still makes me a little nervous, but I know she is going to be okay. Kids fall and bump their heads a LOT when they first try to walk. Even if I'm holding her hands, she will let go to try it herself and fall on her head before I can catch her. Babies are pretty resilient. Make sure you baby proof your house so baby doesn't get seriously injured. The small bumps and bruises will heal. Just give them love and kisses. Your baby will forget about the pain which is good. Because if they didn't, they might not stand up and try to walk again.

7. Expert diaper changer-- I have learned to change her diaper as quickly as possible or she will try to crawl away before I can get the clean diaper on her. Sometimes I have to sing to her. It distracts her from what I am really doing. Most of the time, if I give her a toy she will play with it and let me change her diaper without a fight. One time, I changed her diaper while she slept. She stayed asleep! It was awesome! I was being so careful. I have also learned the importance of Desitin and Baby powder. They really do prevent diaper rash. I use it with every diaper change, even if there is no rash because if I don't... there will be a rash later on. Might as well prevent your baby from future discomfort.

8. Expert fashion adviser-- Not actually true. I think I dress Adelyn in questionable clothes sometimes. I'm kind of fashionably challenged. Sometimes I will get Addy dressed, then go show Seth how cute I made her look. Seth will give me this concerned look and say, "Are you sure that matches?" I usually respond with, "Probably not. But I like it!" I started making headbands recently so now Addy can look even more cute in ridiculously over-sized headbands.

9. Expert Bather and defender of scary things-- Addy loves bath time. She will splash in the water for hours (if I let her. She is usually pruney after 10 minutes). We went to the splash pads not too long ago. Addy was not a fan. The fountains made her nervous. I ended up holding a scared bubby the whole time we were there. Then I remembered that she hated being in the bath while the water was running. Something about water pouring out or shooting up frightens her. But sit her in water, bath or pool, and she will smile, splash, and play. I have learned how to bathe a baby by myself. It was not easy at first because babies are slippery and I was afraid I was going to drop her. But after several baths, I learned how to hold her so I didn't drop her and gained confidence in my ability to bathe my daughter while my husband was unavailable.

10. Expert sleep trainer -- Ha! I am still working on this, but am getting so good because every time I get her trained to sleep through the night, she gets sick or we go out of town. And then I have to start the sleep training all over again. Sometimes I think it would just be easier to never go anywhere so I don't mess up the baby's schedule. But I think I would go a little crazy if I was inside all day. Addy sleeps 10 hours at night. She use to do 12, then got sick. So I am trying to help her get back to 12. She takes 2 naps a day, each about 1.5 - 2 hours. "Sleep" is definitely the hardest part to adjust after bringing home a new baby. You must sleep when the baby sleeps. Sleeping through the night as a new born is only 5 hours. No one told me this information, but nothing could have prepared me for no sleep. It's one of those things you just have to experience. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You are not a bad mom because you need someone to watch your baby while you sleep.

 Last words of wisdom from a mom who is learning as she goes...

 It is easy to forget about yourself when you have a precious baby relying on you for their every need. But don't get too involved with their needs and forget about your own. Seth would come home from work sometimes and I hadn't eaten at all that day. I had no time. I slept when baby did and when she was awake, I was feeding her, holding her, changing her diaper, etc. I have learned that it's okay for my baby to cry for 5 or 10 minutes while I fix and eat my lunch. I am still a good mom. Say it over and over to yourself, "I am a good mom!" It helps and you will soon learn that it is true.

 Babies are great because everything that you expose them to is new and you get to experience your baby's first time for everything! Watching their face as they learn something new is exciting. It's totally worth the sleepless nights and hours spent waiting over them making sure they are fed, dressed, safe, and loved.  I am learning a lot about myself as a mom as I learn how to take care of my precious daughter. I love her so much and I LOVE being a mom.