Things I have learned this week...

Happy One Week Austin!

A week ago right now I was in the thick of contractions on my way to motherhood. Its hard to believe it's been a week....some moments it feels much longer but most moments it feels like it was just yesterday. It's like Zach and I took a crash course on parenting and have learned so much in such as short amount of time...many lessons we learned the hard way. So here are some takeaways from 7 days of parenthood:

1. Swaddling rocks but the double swaddle has magical powers. Thanks to one of our incredible nurses in the hospital, Anne, we learned not only how to swaddle but how to double swaddle to ensure that he doesn't kick out of the chimichanga during the night. The double-swaddle makes him feel so secure and ever since I started using 2 blankets, he has been sleeping all night. Coincidence, I think not.

2. Never say "We aren't gonna be ___(insert parenting convenience)_____ people". Things such as formala-feeding, sleeping with baby in bed, feeding the baby everytime it cries, etc. Well for us, it was "We aren't gonna be pacifier people". I guess I figured we would develop magical calming powers. So when we didn't, we became paci people. Austin's Dougie (thanks Aunt Eldy) is just what the doctor ordered when he works himself into a tizzy. It's a paci with a dog sewn to the end so he can hold onto the dog and the paci stays in his mouth. Genius invention.

Austin and Dougie

3. Zach discovered our child is a triple threat...and not on the ball field. Day one home from the hospital, we take off Austin's diaper when all the sudden a fountain of pee....followed by a the poop train... and to top it all off projectile spit-up (coming out of the mouth and the nose). We learned very quickly a) always have the back-up diaper ready, b) keep his peepee covered at all times during diaper changes, and c) sacrifice your body, clothing, and any other object in sight to save the carpet, wall, and lampshade.

After one of his baths

4. I learned to appreciate the small things like regaining the ability to tie my own shoes, shave my legs, sleep on my back, walk upstairs without getting winded, and not having to pee every 10 minutes.

5. I learned never to have your heart set on an outfit, for you or the baby. Inevitably one or both of you will end up with pee, poop, or spit-up on you before you make it out the door.

6. I learned "I always feed him naked". I know this sounds funny because I said it out load in the hospital with my entire family in the room and I got a lot of crazy looks before I clarified. I feed the baby while he is naked, not me. This goes back to #5, less mess and it helps to keep him awake.

7. The biggest thing I learned is that my heart has stretched and it will never be the same. I have experienced love on a whole new level. Love that gives you wings, may it be in the form of energy to get you up every 3 hours or the emotional high that takes you soaring every time you see that precious face. And seeing Zach as a father and a protector has brought more joy than I can explain. He has been amazing to our little man and amazing to me, especially when I felt less than amazing.

This picture pretty much sums it up... these 2 will never know how much they are loved.