Top 10 Lessons Learned About Parenting | Year 1 Edition

Life has changed a lot in the last year.

Like, a lot a lot.

That gigantic belly? She now lives on the outside, isn’t walking yet, and tips the scale at 23 lbs. I’ve lost some weight, gained some guns, and could potentially be crazier now than I was before.

From belly watch to baby selfies, today’s trip down memory lane features the Top 10 Lessons Learned in my incredibly trying (and overwhelmingly rewarding) first year as a parent.

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Lesson 1: Don’t ever, under any circumstances, vocalize your plans. From birth plans to scheduling errands around nap time; if the tiny human hears, they will do everything in their power to screw it up. And they have pretty much all the power.

Lesson 2: Don’t encourage. There is no going back once your kid learns to roll/crawl/climb/walk. Trust me. You don’t know the kind of energy that you’re going to need to keep up, and more than likely you don’t have enough.

Lesson 3: Kids are fickle. Yesterday she DEVOURED scrambled eggs and chicken breast. Today she physically spit it out onto the floor. They don’t have any idea what they want, and and they can’t tell you even if they do. It’s a lose-lose.

Lesson 4: Stick to the schedule. Having a semi-regular bedtime is crucial, even if that means you can never leave the house after 6:30 p.m. again (goodbye dinner dates!). If you think keeping your kid up later will make them sleep later, you would be sadly mistaken. These little people are not logical.

Lesson 5: Try your best not to compare your kid with others. I know it’s hard to do when you see that so-and-so’s six week old sleeps 12 hours straight, and your practically one year old still wakes up for a bottle every night, but try to live in your bubble. Inevitably a baby of the same age will crawl before yours, or start solid foods sooner, or even be potty trained at like 10 months or something. Who cares! Care about your kid, and make decisions that are best for your family.

Lesson 6: Buy large. Everyone you know (and even people you don’t) will give you baby clothes when you’re pregnant. These adorably small outfits will be only in sizes NB to 9 months, and your kid won’t wear a third of them. There will come a day when you go to dress your daughter, and literally nothing she owns fits. Nothing. In fact, I have a whole bin of shoes right now, and not one pair are the right size AND for the right season. Take it from me – if you plan to buy your kid clothes, buy a size larger than you think. Then buy the same thing two sizes up. They outgrow things FAST.

Lesson 7: Baby wipes fix everything. They clean everything, they sanitize everything (IMO), and they keep D happy in her car seat. I know a momma with three grown men boys who still buys baby wipes to this day. They are that miraculous.

Lesson 8: There is nothing wrong with the easy way. Kids are ridiculously hard. If disposable diapers and pre-made baby food from the store help you keep your sanity – more power to you, momma. If an adult beverage every night helps you keep your cool, no judgement here. Do what you have to do to survive.

Lesson 9: Trust your gut. I researched compulsively throughout my pregnancy. Once little miss arrived, however, I put down the Google and listened to what little mother’s intuition I have. One of my postpartum nurses told me that “it’s okay to be wrong, because everything you do is right in your baby’s eyes.” I’ve never forgot it, and I’m much happier with my decisions because of it. Don’t stress too much (says the stressed out momma).

Lesson 10: You will forget. One day, you will be crazy enough to decide to do this all over again. Me personally? I’m most definitely not there yet, but I didn’t throw away my old maternity clothes during the move. So there’s that.

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What lessons would you add? Any tips for year two?