Tips from the 2 Month Expert

This week I went to work!!! I'm not officially back until January, but I attended a 2 day conference for work this week and I am surprised and happy to report that I loved it! I loved being back in my element, having adult conversation all day, and getting to do a job I love. No, I didn't cry on the way there or in the bathroom during break times. I was excited to be back! AND I was even more excited to get home to my sweet angel!

Being a working mom is definitely a double-edge sword though. When I'm at home, I miss work. When I'm at work, I miss Olivia like crazy! For me though, being a working mom is my calling. And I'm okay with that! I embrace it actually and am excited about going back in January and making the most of my time with Olivia while I'm at home.

I was telling this to a friend last night (at my first Girls' Night Out!!) and she made the observation that the reason I loved being at work is because I'm good at it. It's something I know and understand. I know what I need to and should be doing at all times. Expectations are clear. My job as a Mom isn't so clear cut!!

This is still all so new and most of the time, I have NO IDEA what I'm doing!!! And I have no idea if I'm good at it! I mean, sure, there are some basic, instinctual, common sense things but parenthood is such a mystery world. Every day something is changing and I feel like I'm on the steepest learning curve of my life!

Today my sweet girl is 2 months old! In the past 2 months, I've learned so much about myself and this tiny person who has brightened and changed my world forever!

Here are just a few tidbits from someone who's been doing this job for a whole 2 months:

Sometimes this parenting gig sucks.
The day we brought Oli home, we proudly posted our "It's A Girl" sign in the front yard! A few days later, we were ready to add a sign next to that one proclaiming "And She's For Sale." There are days I have felt beaten down and worn out and ready to quit. And just when I thought I couldn't take any more...she smiled. Okay, so sometimes this parenting gig sucks. Sometimes it's freakin' awesome. Whether you're up or down, you just have to ride the wave.

Parenting ain't for sissies.
This is the toughest job I have ever had! Most days I am running around like a mad woman just trying to make it through grocery shopping, errands, and getting a shower. And if I get to brush my teeth before noon or eat 3 meals a day, that's just a friggin' miracle. I have been pooped on, peed on, and puked on more times than a fraternity house toilet. Sometimes this is a dirty job. If you want to be a parent but want to remain pristine and clean, then get a goldfish. If you are willing to get dirty and experience one of the most amazing kinds of love in this world, then have a baby.

You will screw up. More than once.
I'm a classic perfectionist-OCD-control freak-Type A personality and I feel the need to do everything just right the first time around. Parenting is a learn-as-you-go activity and sometimes you just screw up. Like the first time we gave Oli a bath and we did it in cold water because we were afraid of burning her skin. No wonder she hated bathtime! Or, maybe you are sleep deprived and frustrated and just a little bit afraid of the tiny little person who has been screaming at you for 2 hours straight. And maybe, just maybe, you scream "Please shut the F*** up!!!" Maybe. It could happen. I'm just sayin'. NO JUDGING. There's a reason God didn't give us memory for the first few years of life.

You've just got to figure it out.
There are a million books out there on how to be a parent. Feel free to read as many of them as you want. BUT, in the beginning, the only thing that book is good for is toilet paper. Because no book can help you figure out YOUR kid. All babies are different and you've got to just figure out what works for you and your family. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to do it. As long as you love the crap out of your kid, you're doing pretty darn good. If I was going to write a book about parenting it would be one page and it would read:

"Welcome to Parenting.
You are about to get your ass kicked and experience the most
amazing joy of your life--all at the same time. Good luck!"

Enjoy these moments.

A couple with an older child told us this once and our initial response was "Why? Why enjoy these moments?? Do future moments get worse??" We're quickly finding out what that meant. These moments go by SO FAST. It's crazy how quickly things are moving and how quickly our little girl is growing. I'm already nostalgic for that sweet little newborn we held in the hospital just 2 months ago. I'd love for her to stop growing and be my sweet angel baby forever. So, take advantage of these moments. I certainly am! Often, I sit on the couch with The Boss Lady making faces at her, cuddling with her, and kissing her chubby little cheeks. And I'm going to keep doing that until she makes me stop. Truly ENJOY these moments. EVEN THE HARD ONES. 


I know that as a new student in the School of Parenting, I'm not a total pro yet! But, I'm a willing student who is head over heels in love with the subject at hand. So, whatever's coming up in the next month--BRING. IT. ON!