I have learned….

  • Me time is almost as essential as sleep.
  • A lost lovey is the child version of losing your cell phone.
  • Things you said you would never do as a parent you do, and things you thought you would do you don’t.
  • Watching the world through your kids eyes is like experiencing your own childhood again.
  • The most romantic thing a partner can do right now is get up with the kids so you can sleep in or handle bed time alone so you can either go to bed early or just relax for a few moments alone.
  • Stepping on a Lego hurts so much more than you would believe.
  • Mommies and Daddies make mistakes too and kids forgive us much easier and quicker than we forgive them sometimes.
  • When your child succeeds, the feeling is even better when you succeed yourself; when your child hurts, you hurt just as intensely as if you were in pain as well.
  • Sometimes getting everyone ready and into the car takes longer than the actual errands you need to run.
  • You count it a win if you are only ten minutes late to anything.
  • Always carry baby wipes and snacks with you. It doesn’t matter where you are going, baby wipes and snacks are vital.
  • You don’t always like your children and that’s ok.
  • All kids will eventually walk, talk, potty, etc. Worrying about it doesnt make it happen faster.
  • Cereal and mac and cheese are as good a meal as any some days.
  • Never buy toys with a million pieces. NEVER! Gift them to people you don’t like instead.

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  • You will find yourself repeating the same instructions over and over and over like a parrot.
  • Showering and eating become luxuries, as is going to the bathroom alone.
  • Predicting when a person is going to vomit and the proper place to do so is not innate.
  • You fall in love with your spouse in a whole different way when you see them become a parent.
  • You will pay any amount of money for that one magic thing that helps your child sleep better…and you will put down even more money for multiples of said item.
  • Children’s fashion taste is in no way a reflection of your own.
  • Seeing your own bad traits reflected back at you is sobering.
  • After getting any amount of good sleep in, you feel you can conquer the world.
  • It’s impossible to be in the moment 24/7, and it’s ok to take breaks, ask for help, or indulge in screen time. Everyone needs a break at some point.
  • A hug and a kiss from your child can change your mood instantly.
  • Salads are the only food you don’t have to hide from your kids when eating.
  • Drawings, rocks, flowers, and other small trinkets are some of the best gifts you can receive now.
  • Bandaids cure all ails.
  • Dirt finds children, even when children swear they have been standing perfectly still since you last saw them.
  • It’s important to let children help even if their help makes tasks longer and messier.
  • There is no way to make potty training enjoyable.
  • Holidays take on a new meaning when starting and sharing new experiences with your kids.
  • There is no wrong way to play with a toy. Toys are whatever you want them to be and to be played with whomever wants to play with them.
  • Any place that has shopping carts where you can stick your kids in without having to take out the stroller is a blessing.
  • Children who claim they are stuffed and can’t eat one more bite suddenly have plenty of room for dessert.
  • Kids’ songs find a way to permeate your brain so much you sing them long after your kids are over it.
  • Naps are glorious, whether they’re for you or the kids, they are amazing.
  • Being flexible with things makes the road much smoother for everyone.
  • Raising kids is one of the most rewarding yet challenging tasks you ever tackled. The benefits are immense but the daily grind is brutal.
  • You have never been so tired in your life. The tired you thought was bad before pales in comparison to this new form of exhaustion.
  • Children can make a spotless room look like a bomb went off in less than a minute. Thirty seconds is more accurate.
  • There are apparently only certain days when certain pajamas can be worn and it’s vital you don’t get those days confused.
  • If you plan something special and grand it will most likely end up with some kind of tantrum of epic proportions before the day has ended.
  • Yoga pants and pony tail holders are the only way to get out the door some days.
  • No sooner than when you have finally managed to get everyone dressed, fed, and wrestled into the car and buckled will you hear the words, “I have to go to the bathroom” or realize someone has pooped their diaper.
  • You will feel guilt about everything. It will never stop but it doesn’t mean that you are doing anything wrong either.
  • It takes very little to make kids laugh.
  • Every child is different and things that you swore by on one will absolutely fail when applied to another.
  • The best camera is the one you have.
  • You are so dearly love and wanted from the moment they wake until when you finally put them to bed for the ten hundredth time. Their love is also exhausting.