I'm at Mom School

While I was pregnant with Katelyn I thought I was ready for all this mom stuff.  I was tired of being pregnant, so I was ready to be done being pregnant.  But I had no idea that there would be so much that I would learn.  A lot of this stuff, you just learn as you go, so maybe I was as ready as I could be. . . oh well, it's too late to worry about that now, she's here.

• Rocking chairs are heavenly!  In our house, if you are holding the baby, you get the rocking chair if you want it.
• Babies, girls, ladies, women of all kind (even the crazy ones) like to see babies.  They will peek over your shoulder as you are standing in line at a grocery store.  They will stare at your baby as you pass by them in the aisle and smile when they realize you've noticed them and they seem to wonder how long they've been staring.  Little girls and babies usually point and if they can talk they blurt out something like "Look mom, she has a baby!"  The mom's either apologize for their child's loud mouth or take a moment to ooh and aah about how tiny theirs used to be.
• Boys and men don't really seem to notice the babies, but the old grandpa's do and have often complimented me like I am a hero of some sort for being a mom and wish me luck. . . very sweet.
• David loves having his time with Katelyn once he gets home.  He hasn't even gone to play ping pong since she's been born because it would cut out some of his time with his girls.  He must really love us!
• It is a million times harder to get out the door.  It is all about timing when Katelyn wakes up, when she'll be hungry, when I get to eat, and when I get to shower and get ready.  Then I have to make sure I have everything she might need while we're out along with whatever I need to bring with me for whatever I am leaving the house to do.
• She is finally sleeping all the way through the night and I feel like I am human again.  No longer am I hoping that she takes a long nap so that I can get some sleep too.  It is a lot easier to get up with her at first, but the no sleep thing set in about 3 weeks after she was born which was a few days after mom left and I was worn out.
• The cute little burp cloths get un-cute really fast.
• Diapers have a terrible job.  I would rather be a mom any day.
• One time at a grocery store, my cart and I were blocking the whole aisle.  I didn't realize this until a lady was just standing and waiting patiently.  I apologized and moved my cart more to the side, but she told me the apology wasn't accepted and that she owed me an apology for "bothering the new mom and her baby."  I never thought we would get such special treatment but I still try to stay out of the whole aisle.
• "Talking" with Katelyn is the funniest thing ever.  She moves her eyes and eyebrows so much like she is telling me something SO important, but all I hear is super cute "coos" and "goos" and "doos".  She looks like she is always really proud of what she said.  She makes us laugh and we always enjoy our conversations with her.  She doesn't really like it when we laugh when she's talking.  We are just rude I guess.
• Our spacious one bedroom apartment isn't so spacious anymore.  Our bed has made it's way into the corner of the room so we can fit all of Katelyn's stuff in there.  I'm definitely ready for a two bedroom. . . or three so we have room for guests too!
• A day can go by with nothing getting done very easily.
• Wearing pink and having a pink bow on your head doesn't mean that everyone will notice you are a girl.  I think some people don't even try and just take the 50/50 chance and go for it.
• Play-dates are for moms. . . and a little bit for the kids.
• Katelyn doesn't have rubber bands around her thighs, arms, and wrists.  Just some extra food storage for winter.
• Baby belly fat is unlike any other which I hope doesn't mean it is harder to work off.
• Katelyn tries so hard to stay awake sometimes.  She tries really hard to be happy, but a little sad cry comes out instead. . . frown and all.  She just wants to stay up and play.
• Letting her cry herself to sleep didn't work for either of us.  We came up with our own method.  Her night time routine is great.  We make sure we keep her awake for 2-3 hours before she goes down.  She seems to like it when dad reads stories to her.  She loves bath in the sink time and kicks so much I have to put more water in the sink.  She doesn't like getting out of the warm water where it is so cold.  Her little chin shivvers and she seems so sad to not be splashing around.  We finish off the night with one last feeding and she is out!  She's now been sleeping for forever. . . 10-11 hours a night!  No waking up to eat or anything!  I am enjoying it while I can until teething starts or something else.  I can't even sleep that long, but it's nice that she does so I can get up and do something before she's up.
• I think baby's have nightmares.  I finally caught one on video.  She will just start doing this really sad cry and then go back to sleep. If you can tell, she even sticks out her bottom lip. . . so sad!  I think my voice woke her up, but then she went back to her nightmare or tried to fake it, then back to sleep.  
• I love that Katelyn loves her bouncer and her swing.  We can now eat dinner together, or clean or shower or do something while she's awake.  Not that we don't love snuggling up with her, but sometimes we have to get something done.
• I can throw a diaper across the room and make it in the trash. . . every time.  I have had lots of practice.  Don't worry though, the really full diapers aren't thrown, just in case I miss and they explode.  Gross I know.
• I have learned to say "thank you" when someone compliments me for my beautiful baby in some way. . . instead of saying, "I know."  I do know she is beautiful in every way, but I don't know when I started being snobby.  I think I have fixed that.  I hope.
We are loving our little family!  

David and I made it out on our own for the first time last week for dinner and a movie.  It was rough on me since I left the phone in the diaper bag with the babysitter. . . whoops!  Better luck next time :)