Hank is 10 months old, and he’s doing lots of cool stuff! He crawls, pulls himself up on everything and walks along furniture and walls. He’s also become a pro at pulling anything and everything out of the cupboards. I chase him around all day and make sure he doesn’t do something to hurt himself, but sometimes I fail at that. He’s growing and changing unbelievably fast.
I could talk about my kid all day, but now that he’s 10 months old I want to talk about how I’ve changed since Hank made his big debut into this world. I’ve learned several lessons, the main one being: NEVER SAY NEVER. This lesson has slapped me in the face on multiple occasions, and it’s going to be the main focus of this article.
In celebration of Hank’s 10 months on this earth, I wanted to share 10 things I never thought I would do as a first-time mom. Read to #10, that’s the most important one to me.
1. I never thought I’d cater to my kid’s nap/bedtimes:
This is a big one. Life changes so much after having kids. You want to keep some of your pre-kid life alive! For example, being able to hang out with friends, go to the store whenever you want, or make plans on a Saturday afternoon on a whim. Now, I’m not saying we cater to Hank’s nap time every day, because if something comes up we do accept invites during nap time… However, on any regular day, we plan our schedule based around his naps and bedtime. This is simply better for everyone’s happiness during the day… and anything to make mom-life easier is a win for me.
2. I never thought I’d let my baby cry it out:
If you’re reading this and you’ve let your child cry it out too, you are NOT a bad mom and you do LOVE your child. The infamous 4-month sleep regression hit us hard like a ton of bricks with Hank. For 2 months he was up every couple of hours through the night, mostly needing his binky popped back in his mouth and he also wasn’t taking regular naps during the day. After exhaustion had hit both my husband and I hard enough, we settled on a sleep training method that involved letting Hank cry it out. And it worked. And I still love him. And he still loves me.
3. I never thought I’d forget to bring a diaper and a change of clothes:
Yeah, well… when you’re leaving the house with a screaming child and you’re already late to get to your destination, sometimes things happen. But guess what, I’m assuming most people reading this don’t live on a desert island…so, we have access to lots of diapers and clothes wherever we go if need be. You’re not a bad mom if you’ve done this.
4. I never thought I’d let my baby watch TV:
There are tons of articles out there that say you shouldn’t let your kids watch TV because it will fry their brains or something crazy like that… it won’t. And if your baby sits for 15 minutes and watches a Nickelodeon cartoon from the ’90s on Hulu while you do the dishes, that’s a win. Stop judging yourself.
5. I never thought I’d let my child sleep with me:
No, we don’t co-sleep, and I definitely don’t judge anyone who has. Everyone should do what’s best for their family. Once in a while, when Hank is having trouble napping I will crawl in his crib with him and snuggle up so he can sleep. It’s a win for both of us because I get some zzzzz’s too! The only drawback is, all my household chores are put on the back burner.
6. I never thought I’d let my child eat food from squeeze pouches:
The real truth here is these things are the BEST invention ever for mom’s these days. I used to think I’d make my squeezies at home because somehow that would make them better for him. Let’s just say, what I expect from myself has greatly decreased. I’m proud if I can get a load of laundry done and the dishes put away in a single day and pre-packaged squeezies come with us wherever we go.
7. I never thought I’d let my kid run around looking like a grime ball:
I’m sorry to all those moms I silently judged who had kids with stuff all over their faces and clothes out in public. It’s a tough job trying to keep a kid clean 24/7. Kids are gross! And nobody should try to be perfect at keeping them clean ALL the time because it’s a recipe for anxiety. Hank is especially grimy at home most days, and I just hose him off and call it good.
8. I never thought I’d open a baby snack in a store to calm my fussy child:
Here’s the thing, mama needs groceries whether the baby is a happy perfect angel or a screaming angry shark. Heck yeah, I pop open some puffs or a squeezie as needed! I no longer think twice about this mom trick and I don’t apologize at the checkout anymore.
9. I never thought I’d let my child use a pacifier for an extended period of time:
I read so many articles that said if you gave your breastfed baby a pacifier they wouldn’t be able to latch and they’d have nipple confusion, so I was scared to use a pacifier in the first place. Then when we started using one, I thought it would only be for nap and bedtimes. Well, Hank’s a baby. He gets fussy. And if a paci will help, I’m gonna use it. So, we do. And life is good with the paci.
10. I never thought I’d be a stay-at-home mom:
This one is last, but it’s by far the most important. Prior to having Hank, I never pictured myself staying home. I was a focused, career-driven woman and I really didn’t think my mind would change after having a child. I wondered, “What do stay at home moms DOOOO all day?!” Boy was I wrong! Being a stay-at-home mom is the most fulfilling, energizing, satisfying thing I’ve ever done. My days fly by faster than I could ever imagine, and being able to be there for everything for him is the most wonderful gift I’ve ever been given. I’ll be writing more about this in the future… because it deserves a whole lot more than a number on a list.
