I came up with this GREAT idea to make a scrapbook about Jayna and all the things she taught me in her first weeks of life. The problem is that I don't have much time to scrapbook these days and I feel like I should share what I've learned sooner than I'll have time to scrapbook it. Here are my lessons:
LOVE
* Unconditional love *does* exist. There is nothing Jayna could do to make me stop loving her. She has peed on me, pooped on me, scratched me until I've bled, kept me awake for almost 24 hours straight...pushed me past the limits that I thought I had and gave me new limits. She did all this in her first month of life and I still love her more everyday. She has taught me the true meaning of the word "unconditional."
PATIENCE
* Patience is truly virtuous. A newborn baby tests her parents' patience to the very limit. Jayna sometimes takes 45 minutes to finish eating...at 3am!! And I jsut have to sit there and stay awake until she's done. Sometimes she eats every hour for 6 or 8 hours straight. And sometimes she won't eat at alll for 6 hours during the day and then act like I've never fed her before when she eventually does eat. Sometimes she needs her diaper changed before it's even all the way on. Sometimes she needs it changed 3 times in an hour. And sometimes she's so wiggly that bathing her is impossible. And I've learned to be patient. What other choice do I have? Other things will get done eventually.
CHANGE
* After becoming a parent, you may change some of the views that you swore you'd never change. The "best" parenting advice always seems to come from those who don't have kids (wink wink). You don't truly understand WHY you should keep your cakehole closed about parenting if your childless until you have a child. All kids are different and you may find yourself doing and saying things you *swore* you'd never do or say. Jayna has taught me to be flexible and forgiving of others...and to remember that change may be difficult, but it is good.
ENJOY
* Enjoy the little things in life. Enjoy things like the sunshine on your face or a cool breeze. A simple ride in the car or being carried in the front carrier are some of Jayna's favorite things. She loves to just look out the window or watch her surroundings. Babies make us realize just how much we don't need to be truly happy. Also, as a parent, enjoy not only milestone moments, but the everyday moments in your life. A simple smile from Jayna can turn a truly miserable day into something a little more bearable. Jayna has taught me to enjoy everyday life.
CRY
* Sometimes crying is just necessary. Jayna really does cry sometimes for what appears to be no reason at all. She needs to vent just like an adult except she can't go to the bar, drink a veer and have a nice heart-to-heart with her best friend...so she cries. And cries. And cries. And then I cry. And then we're both crying and it's a crying party. But she does eventually stop and then I regain my sanity and things are peachy again. Jayna has taught me that crying isn't always a bad thing.
TOUCH
* Human touch can solve many of life's problems. Jayna loves to be held, especially when she's tired. It calms her and makes her feel safe. She loves to be carried in her carrier. That's one of her favorite places. She loves the warmth and the sound of a heartbeat. I know that I appreciate hugs when I'm feeling crappy. Jayna has taught me the importance of human contact.
STUDY
* Studying behavior is an excellent way to learn about someone. When we brought Jayna home and put her to bed in the bassinet she made sooo much noise! I got up to check on her about every 15 minutes for the first 4 or 5 days. After 4 or 5 days I learned that most of those noises were just sleep noises. Since then, I've learned what noises are distress noises and which ones are happy noises. I know her hunger cues and when she's just fussy because she's tired. She has taught me that paying attention to what seems like unimportant behavior can really pay off in the end.
MULTI-TASK
* Multi-tasking is a priceless skill. Before I had Jayna, I never knew how many things I could do with one hand, like make a bowl of cereal and eat it, type an email, laundry and scrapbooking just to name a few. I've also learned how to do things very quickly. I can now accomplish more things during one of Jayna's 2 hour naps than I could in an entire day before she was here. I can do things with my feet while I'm feeding her, like pet the dog or pick up her blanket that I dropped on the floor. Jayna has taught me that moms should really have more than 2 hands.
NAPTIME
* Take naptime seriously. Jayna LOVES to sleep. During her first week of life, I had to wake her up every 2 hours to eat...and I'd get so frustrated because sometimes she wouldn't wake up no matter what I did! She soon began waking up on her own about every 2 or 3 hours. At 3 weeks old, she began sleeping 5 to 6 hours at night. I also learned that I should take full advantage of her naps to either accomplish things I can't do while she's awake or to get a nap myself. Jayna has taught me that sleep can really do a body good!
ADORABLE
* It is possible to be adorable no matter what you're doing. She's cute even when she toots!! She's cute when she eats. She's cute in the UGLIEST clothes and she's even cute when she's throwing a fit. She's precious no matter what-enough said.
Unfortunately, many of these lessons didn't come easy. I'm sure I'll have many more to add in the days, weeks, years to come...
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