I Have No Idea What I'm Doing, But Here Are Some Tips...

It was a year ago tomorrow that my life really changed. For the better. But I didn't realize it at the time. August 26th, 2013 is the day that we found of that we were having twins! And it was terrifying.

"Peanut" and "Cashew" - first photo together at 7 weeks old!

The changes that come with pregnancy and becoming first time parents are overwhelming. Multiply that by about a thousand and you get what it feels like to be expecting twins. Maybe.

The last year has been a year of changes, surprises, life lessons, experimenting- but most of all, winging it. I have no idea what I'm doing, after all, I am a first time mom! Also, I HATE surprises. If you know me at all, you know not to surprise me with anything. I'm not sure if it's considered a pet peeve or a quirk in my personality, but I hate surprises.

A few things that I have picked up over the last year, life lessons, if you will...

• Be flexible. I cannot stress this enough. Everything that you think you have planned, will probably fall apart. You will be too tired to read to your baby every night before bed. You will be too busy to work on all of those cute Pinterest-y sewing projects. Your baby will turn you to mush and you won't have the heart to do the strict sleep training you researched for months about. 


• Be prepared for surprises (even if you hate them.) Expecting one baby, meh, why not have twins! Just kidding. But seriously, be prepared for surprises - the good, the bad, the poopy. Heck, even surprise visitors. It seems like a lot of people feel they don't need to call before dropping by to see a baby! You may also be very surprised at the cost of baby things. I guess it's kind of the same theory as bikinis... the less fabric, the more expensive. This includes baby socks and outfits.


• You will probably want a second baby. Or a third. Or a 7th! It seems like babies just have that appeal, no matter how many you said you wanted 3 years ago. If you find yourself thinking these thoughts while you still have an infant, have your husband bring out the journal of all of your pregnancy and labor complaints. I'm assuming he kept one, even if it is just a mental list in his head, like Andy's. If your man thought ahead, he may even have had you sign and date a copy of said complaints, including direct quotes so that there are no takesies-backsies. 

This could not describe me more starting at about 7 months.

• Be prepared to learn. I had never changed a diaper, it had been years since I held a baby, I didn't even know what to put on a baby registry for heaven's sake. I learned something new every.single.day in the last year. Read a lot, research, talk to people. ASK QUESTIONS. Just not stupid questions. There is such a thing as a stupid question. Something you might not have known: Bottle nipples come in different levels/stages/sizes. Who knew? I sure as heck didn't until about 2 months in, when the boys were freaking out when they ate because they could not drink fast enough with newborn nips.


• You will have no idea what you're doing. Sometimes I come across a situation that I just don't know how to handle. I wing it. Baby wakes up screaming in his sleep an hour after he goes to bed. Do I pick him up? Do I give him a bink? Yup, give him a bink. OMG. Can he have a binkie in his crib? Did I just create a whole new problem of having him be dependent on a binkie to sleep? Is that possible in a 3 month old? Wait, how old is my baby again? Yup. No idea what I'm doing. And you won't have a clue either - so wing it. 

This thing called parenting is hard, but you'll survive. Most people do, from what I understand.