Before Patrick, I had many parenting opinions, not that I shared them with too many people it was mostly thoughts I formulated about how I would handle (or planned to handle) different situations.
One thing I've learned: it all goes out the window when you are really a parent.
#1. I'll never let my child sleep with me. Please. It's 4am, PJ has been up every hour and I'm so tired that when he falls asleep on my chest while burping him I lay back and close my eyes. When we wake up 3 hours later I now know that yes, yes, I will occasionally allow PJ to sleep with me. (for now, I know that once he gets just a touch older it will form a bad habit and I really don't want a toddler in our double bed as Cooper takes up enough room as it is. But, for now I will break my rule.)
#2. I'll never buy a minivan. I'd like to have three kids, God willing. (I know, I know, get through one first!) A mid-sized car (mine) and the Escape (Joc) will not handle three child seats not to mention any friends the kids may have... so while a new car is hopefully a few years away, I think a minivan might be the most economical instead of the extended SUV that might be more hip. Joc and I will have to decide when we need to cross that street... but a mini-van may be in our future... oh man...
#3. We'll be a mobile family, able to travel no matter what, we won't stay at home just because we have kids. Man oh man, is travel more challenging that I thought. This baby, this 6 week old dude, has so much crap! And what will he need while we're away? How many outfits should we bring? How many diapers? Do we bring his vibration chair and his swing and his pack n play? He has to have tummy time, so his activity mat has to come (because he's too good for a blanket on the floor!) and toys, we have to bring toys (even though he doesn't even know he has two arms and hands to play with them) and books, and PJ's stroller... and we haven't even packed for us yet! And don't get me started about this child who needs to eat every 1-2 hours, so if he wakes up (if he sleeps) then he's screaming and we have to pull over to feed him (even if I pack a bottle, there are times he won't take it unless he's being held) and now our 1 hour 15 minute trip to Cadillac is more like 1 hour 45 minutes... not that we just won't travel but man, we gotta get a better routine down or a trailer... (c:
This is my list and PJ is only 6 weeks old... life is definitely different with a little one.
1 comment:
Oh how you crack me up!!! I have to say, I am on board with ALL those items! I didn't break my rules nearly as much with Belle, but George finds his way to my bed far too often because it's so much easier to reach over and insert paci on the same plane than in another room! :) You're doing great!!!
Post a Comment