42 Things That Change When You Have a Baby
// May 19th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Baby
We all know that a lot of things change when you have a baby, but as I was browsing around various baby/parenting websites I ran across this article at babycenter.com. It’s interesting to read through the list and see which ones you can identify with.
This list is from babycenter.com but we elaborated a little with our own answers on the ones we could really identify with.
After reading, leave us a comment on the ones you can relate to. It’s great to hear other perspectives on parenthood!
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
(Daddy walks around the yard almost every day with the baby looking at all the nature that is around)
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid. [See a reader's perspective in #22, below.]
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body … finally.
(Uhh….I would still like my pre-pregnancy body back thank you very much :p)
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
(Sometimes there would be weeks where Husband wouldn’t talk to his parents. Now he talks to them several times a week about the baby and life in general)
6. You find that your baby’s pain feels much worse than your own.
(It’s true what that says, you wish you could take it all for yourself)
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
(Husband has always been a kid at heart so he is looking forward to renewing his belief in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and playing pretend)
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
(We have definitely lost touch with friends but only because it’s so hard to get out and do things with the friends that don’t have children. It’s like a whole different world.)
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
(Isn’t that the truth! Plan all you want but it will rarely go as you planned!)
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
(If you get a little doody on your finger it’s no big deal, you just wipe it off.)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
(We have a big mirror in the hallway that we walk past when holding the baby. We just stop and stare at him starring at himself.)
14. You become a morning person.
(I was always a morning person but my husband was NOT even close. He didn’t like to talk for the first couple of hours he was awake. Now, with the baby, we have had full, pleasant conversations as early as five or six in the morning!)
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.
(So true. It allows you to do/handle things that you never thought you could)
Responses from readers of babycenter.com
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
(Daddy even wants to plant a garden so he and the little one can play in the dirt and watch things grow.)
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid. [See a reader's perspective in #22, below.]
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body … finally.
(I would still like my pre-pregnancy body back thank you! :p)
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
(My husband used to go weeks without speaking with his parents but since the baby came he talks to them a couple times a week about the baby and life in general. It really does bring you closer.)
6. “You don’t mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night.” — Kellye
(In fact I sometimes look forward to it!)
7. “Silence? What’s that?” — Anonymous
(Naps times are the greatest!)
8. “You realize that the 15 pounds you can’t seem to get rid of are totally worth having.” — Brenda
(I hope you’re referring to my 15 lb baby and not the 15 lbs that have taken up residence in my hips and stomach!)
9. “You discover an inner strength you never thought you had.” — Ronin and Brookie’s mom
10. “You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule.” — Thomas’ mom
(But some times you can set your watch to it.)
11. “You give parents with a screaming child an ‘I-know-the-feeling’ look instead of a ‘Can’t-they-shut-him-up?’ one.” — Jaidyn’s mom
(Unless they bring a screaming little one to the movies. There is just no place for that. Wait for your baby to grow up or get a babysitter!)
12. “Your dog — who used to be your ‘baby’ — becomes just a dog.” — Kara
(The cat has definitely noticed he does not get as much attention as he used to.)
13. “You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you’ll be late.” — Tracey
(Especially if he is awake in his bed. You HAVE to see his smile once more before you leave for work!)
14. “You learn that taking a shower is a luxury.” — Jayden’s mom
(It is very relaxing when you can take a real shower and not a 2 minute shower while you THINK he is napping!)
15. “You realize that you can love a complete stranger.” — Dezarae’s mom
(Yes but only your baby. Regular complete strangers I still don’t love.)
16. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place. — Arizona
(You want to leave it better than you found it for your kids. Good luck in these times!)
17. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do! — Ciara
(Your baby really is the most beautiful thing in the world.)
18. You start to appreciate Sesame Street for its intellectual contribution. — Anon.
(We haven’t quite gotten that far yet.)
19. You have to quit watching the news because you see every story from a mother’s perspective and it breaks your heart. — Brooke&Boys
(I’ve had to change the channel a few times because I didn’t want to see the outcome.)
20. You just plain love life more – everything comes together and becomes better because of one tiny person and your love for them. — Anon.
(Everything is better with a little one!)
21. You finally find out the real reason you have those breasts. — Anon
22. In response to #2 [above], I’d say that where you were once afraid, you’re now fearless. I was always very timid and shy and let myself get walked all over … but now where my kid’s concerned, I’ll speak my mind and really connect with my inner “b”! — gummismom
23. The support you get from other people surprises you, because the people giving it are not always the ones you’d expect. — japanese_macaque
(Very true. Some people are very excited about your baby and you would have never thought it.)
24. Nothing is just yours any longer. You share EVERYTHING! — DylanLsMom
(And it doesn’t bother you a bit.)
25. No matter what you’ve accomplished in life, you look at your child and think, “I’ve done a GREAT job!” — Anon.
26. You want to take better care of yourself for your child. — Treasor
27. You can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like “ahhh” and “oooo.” — littlehulk2008
(If only the conversations I have at work were that interesting!)
Today has been a surprisingly easy day. We started off the morning at 630 with him laying next to me on my pillow and listening to his favorite acoustic music. Then we had a bottle and a diaper change. Shortly after that he took about a 3 hour nap. We then had another bottle, a poopie diaper and we headed out into town where he slept the entire time.
Since having our baby boy and bringing him home, there are several things we quickly learned about babies and being parents:
Throughout the pregnancy, we have bought and been given several baby books. What To Expect, Belly Laughs, The Expectant Father, Skinny Bitch: Bun In the Oven just to name a few. While each of these books have great information in them, there are some of the every day things they just don’t explain.
