Thoughts on Babies

I've got babies on the brain.  Mostly because mine is two weeks shy of one and then officially, no longer a baby.  It's making me a bit sad.  Good bye squishy squirt who needs me and hello mobile menace who wants to do everything on his own.

Ross and I were talking last night about how much I love little babies (Was it last night?  I can't remember).  While expressing my adoration of the tiny helpless balls of sweet smelling goo he reminded me that they only stay little for about 6 weeks.  Then they get big and super duper needy.

Oh yeah. 

Never mind.

A week ago a friend e-mailed a large group of us asking what our "must have" baby supplies were.  She's due at the end of June.  Then,  I read this yesterday and it got me to thinking, what's my "advice" for someone with a new baby.  I have had two, you know.

Yes, I know no one is asking.  Like that's ever stopped me before.  So, here you go - some of my ideas, though they are probably every one's ideas.

- Let a family member bring you dinner.  Maybe not some rando from the ward whose cooking and kitchen cleanliness you cannot really trust, but if a family member (like me, for example) offers to bring you a tasty meal, let them.

- Even though pink baby lotion is oh so sweet smelling, use cetophyl.  My boys are notorious for dry skin and it's really a life saver.  If your sweet bambino doesn't have dry skin, then use this stuff to really get them slippery like a greased pig at the rodeo.

- speaking of soft skin, keep everything soft.  Dreft detergent smells heavenly.  Babies loves sweat pants.  Promise. They don't like jeans so much.  Who sleeps in jeans?  I don't even wear jeans - unless I feel like doing some weight lifting.  Soft clothes, soft blankets, soft everything.

- Have a sleep back-up.  Elliott wouldn't sleep in the bassinet.  Wyatt couldn't sleep well in his crib.  Both needed alternate sleeping arrangements from the minute we brought them home.  My personal preference?  One of those little slanted vibrating bouncy chair things.  Miracle worker for both of my boys.

- Let dad do his share of the work.  That means night-time and day-time duty with bottles, diapers, bouncing, singing and all the house stuff too.

- sleep when the baby sleeps.  Yeah right!  Like that will ever happen.  Okay, it didn't for me because maybe I'm a loser or something, but get some sleep sometime, somewhere.  I like the floor in the hall by the laundry closet, the rocking chair, and Elliott's bed.

- have the new diaper opened and ready to go before you take the old one off.

- get used to the little fart having opinions from the get go.  Go with those opinions.  If the baby doesn't want to eat - don't force.  Doesn't want to sleep?  Stay up a little bit longer. 

- patience truly is a virtue.  That is of course, why I don't have any.

- take a break every once in a while.  That's what grandmas and aunties are for, right? 

- don't forget who you are as a person once the squirt arrives.  Remember that you smell nice after a shower, look good with a few minutes of hair and make-up.  It helps you not feel like Nacho Libre all day long.  Even if you are wearing stretchy pants.  Along those lines, remember that you have interests to try and keep up with, music to listen to, books to read...whatever consumed you and made you whole before the baby is still there, though it may be miles and miles away.  Remember the old you and find her every once in a while.  It's refreshing.

Okay - that's all.
Any other thoughts?  Share them in the comments, please.