End of the Year Review

Since the New Year has been rung in with great ferver, in pajamas, through half opened eyes on the couch I wanted to sit down for a moment and reflect on a few of the things I've learned in the last 10 months. I know a year is made up of 12 months, not 10, but I don't really remember a thing about the months before I found out I was pregnant with Littlest J. Soooo, here we go:

1. Reruns of Cold Case come on at 3 a.m. here...and it can be pretty scary when you're in the dark with only a wee little newborn to protect you
2. Snap/Velcro bibs before throwing them in the wash - that way they won't get all tangled or lose their velcroieness by getting stuck to ever other piece of clothing in your washer
3. That being said, Snap onesies before drying them - that way you won't spend a freaking hour trying to dislodge it from your dryer where it has become wedged in some horrible, ungodly way
4. Keep plenty of pregnancy tests on hand - nothing is more frightening then thinking you are pregnant, right after you had a baby
5. Don't hold your spit-up addicted baby in the morning whilst dressed in work clothes
6. Doesn't matter if it is off the "schedule" the minute that little baybay shows signs of being tired, plop them down for a nap
7. My husband, my friends and my family are the best anyone could ever dream of having - nothing tests that quite like a little pinch of hospital bed rest and a dash of premature baby
8. The prices are pretty much the same at Target and Babies R' Us. Oh and you wanna go to the Babies R' Us in Rivergate NOT the Nolensville Rd. one. Trust me.
9. Getting back into your pre-pregnancy jeans feels pret-tee damn nice
10. Baby smile - best thing in the world - ever - hands down
11. Holy crap I swear my friend Jessie could be a pediatrician - she seriously knows everything about having a baby - and she's always right
12. RSV season sucks ass - it's like your sweet little baby is under house arrest - I can't wait until May
13. Being a working mom and a stay at home dad isn't as great and easy as we thought it would be - there is something to be said for "traditional" rolls in a marriage, but we make it work damnit
14. Babies really do sleep better in their own crib, not shoe horned in between you and your husband
15. Video baby monitor - must have - l-o-v-e love it
16. You have to find a good pediatrician that you trust and we have an amazing one
17. I don't ever want to have a baby anywhere other than Baptist Hospital here in Nashville - I'm serious, I don't care where I live when I get pregant again - I'm coming back to Baptist to have it
18. Regardless of what I thought before I was pregnant or swore while I was pregnant being a mother changes you completely
19. I love my son more every day
20. I have not come to terms with the fact that one day he will be a grown man - Yes, mom, now I know why you say I will always be your baby

None of these things are new realizations, I'm sure any mom could list the same things, but they have been my life for the last almost year, my new life, my favorite phase of life, the best part of my life - no offense Brad, our wedding was pretty awesome too - but I know you would agree - and you had just a little something to do with it.

Happy New Year!!