Regrets of a First Time Momma

As my little Sidekick's first birthday is rapidly approaching, I find myself being nostalgic about everything, and oftentimes, things bring tears to my eyes because everything is going so fast. Sidekick's first year of life has been better than I ever expected, but looking back I have a few regrets:

1. I regret being so consumed by everything that I had to get done that I didn't nap (I can count on two hands how many times I've napped in Sidekick's almost 11 months of life.)  Nonetheless, I had a clean home, laundry wasn't piling up, dishes weren't in the sink, and my dog got daily walks.

2.  I regret not eating more and pumping in the middle of the night to increase my milk production.  Breastfeeding was rough because I had to supplement almost immediately.  When Sidekick started sleeping eight hours straight at four weeks old, instead of getting up in the middle of the night to pump, I chose sleep.  Maybe eating more and pumping more would have helped my milk production, but who knows!  In the end, I breastfed/pumped for five months which I guess is better than nothing. 

3.  Piggy backing off of #1 above, I regret not snuggling in my bed (or anywhere) with my baby.  I had so much to do to keep up my home and was so strict on where my baby slept, that I didn't take advantage of these special moments because when he slept, I put him down.  When I realized I missed out on this (he was about five months old), I started letting him take his morning nap in my bed while I snuggled with him once in a while.  In the end, I have a great sleeper which makes this Momma happy. 

4.  I regret not taking more pictures. I am almost done with his "First Year of Life" Shutterfly album, and it doesn't have very many pictures.  It'll be about 25-30 pages which just doesn't seem like a lot. Plus, there are very few pictures of us together. But hey, he has an album that captures great memories and that's more than I can say as I seem to not have one for myself.  : )

I guess if I've only have a few regrets, then I must not be doing too badly! These are things that I cannot change, but sometimes they can tug at my heart strings.  I wanted to acknowledge these things now so that on his first birthday, I will celebrate his awesome first year of life with no regrets (but with a little sadness as it is all going way too fast)! 

What regrets do you have?

Mother's Day...

A year ago, my little Sidekick was kicking me from the inside, and I wondered who he was and what he would be like.  I never imagined that he would be as perfect and wonderful as he is.  He's a mover and a shaker now (just like he was a year ago).  He's a happy and funny little guy. He is an easy going little guy.  He is an independent little guy.  He is better than I could have ever hoped and prayed for. 

While other Moms are being treated to wonderful things by their husbands, I still have an infant to take care of, laundry to do, and cleaning to do, and you know what?  I wouldn't change any of it!  My little sidekick chose me to be his mom and without him, I wouldn't be celebrating this day with boogers/snot on my shoulder, frozen pancakes for breakfast, and reading books to him in my bed before nap.  My life feels complete, and my missing link, Sidekick, has enabled me to see this day in a different light.  Happy Mother's Day! 

Never Thought I'd get a Phone Call Like This...

Whenever daycare's phone number comes up on my caller ID, I always say a little swear in my head (okay, I usually say it out loud to myself).  Today was no exception especially since it's a really bad work week and Sidekick was sick last week, so I need him to stay healthy this week.
 
The director asked if I had carpet in my home.  I said I did in some of the rooms, and I immediately thought that Sidekick must have some type of rug burn on his legs from army crawling.  There was a pause, and then, "Well, the girls called me in to look at Sidekick's diaper, and there was a piece of the rug!"  Yep!  My boy pooped out a piece of rug!   

I busted laughing and said, "His body must have been craving fiber."  I know exactly what happened and where it came from.  The rug in my entry way seems to "shed" a lot since my dog, Macey, likes to "bunch" it all up and lay on it.  The carpet fibers seem to always come loose, and as often as I pick them up, I clearly missed one, but Sidekick didn't.  I must not forget to mention that the carpet fibers are about two inches long! 

It's nice to know that my boy's digestive system is working well.  It's also a reminder that I need a new rug. 

Just a Couple of Videos

Sidekick and I are finally healthy! He's constantly cruising around my condo, getting into everything, and is as busy as he can be. His favorite toy is one of my Dog's toy (seen in video) and her basket of toys. Why buy him toys if he prefers to play with Dog's stuff? (At least Dog got smarter in the second video!)