Observations of a first time parent

Getting ready to take a walk! (as you can see, she is very excited)

A few things I've observed in my first two weeks of mommyhood...

- Being a parent is hard. Call your mom and dad and thank them or if you're lucky enough to live close to them give them both a big hug. They've earned it- trust me- and this is coming from someone who's only been a parent for 17 days, I can't imagine how I'm going to feel after 17 years!

- Being a parent is also the scariest thing I've ever done. I have never been so consumed by worry and stress about every little thing- is she eating enough? Is she cold? Is she swaddled too tightly? The list goes on and on...On top of this I wake several times a night to make sure she's breathing/happy/sleeping soundly/etc...

- I have never thought about myself less than I have these last 17 days. I often forget to eat meals, sometimes don't have time to take a shower until 6 p.m. at night when Matt is free to watch Madelyn, and haven't even considered when the next time is that I might be able to meet up with my girlfriends for dinner or drinks. My idea of "me time" is now taking a shower long enough to shave my legs.

- I don't mind changing dirty diapers, I'm just happy she's making them.

- I've never been so excited to hear someone burp.

- I am learning to do everything with one hand while I hold her in the other.

- Each day I set aside one thing to get accomplished- One Thing. It may be to give Madelyn a bath, or it may be to clip my finger nails, but it amazes me how many days I don't get this one thing done. On the days I do, I feel like the most productive person in the world.

- I will never be able to express in words the way I felt the first time I heard her cry in the delivery room, or how big my smile gets when I see her smile--I realize it's probably gas-induced, but it's the sweetest thing I've ever seen.