Writer’s Workshop: What would I do differently?

You know?  I want to put new content up on this blog every day, or at least more often, but some days in midst of the constant whirl of diapers, bottles, deadlines, email, and bath time, I can’t think of a topic that would anyone would want to read.  So, today… Mama Kat is at least making that part easier for me with her Writing Workshop.  After I got over reminiscing about my 11^th grade English class with Mrs. G, I looked at her list of selections and chose this one to write about: 

1.)  Baby fever is in the air. Describe what you would do differently as a first time mom.

Baby fever is in the air?  Really?  Hm… uh… gee… I hadn’t notice.  Certainly, it is not in the air around here.  I haven’t found myself missing the days when C was itty bitty.  Nope.  And I haven’t looked at pictures of pregnant women with a touch, just a touch, of jealousy.  Not at ALL.  And I definitely didn’t get out my calculator to think about things like: how old C would be when #2 came if I got pregnant now or if we were in a financial position to afford another wee one or to count the days since my last period, you know… just in case. 

Before anyone gets all anxious or excited, I am not pregnant.  But I am starting to entertain the idea again.  Am I insane to think about it this soon?  Probably.  But I had an easy delivery and, mostly, an easy baby that gets me thinking I’m super mom and I can do this again.  But, with six whole months of motherhood behind me and still being focused on survival, not necessarily parenting (subtle difference, my friends) I think I can say that there are at least a few things I would do differently in those first few months. 

1. Learn about the secret of the 5 S’s from Happiest Baby on the Block BEFORE the baby arrives.  And then, I would use them.  Immediately. As soon as I realized that putting my baby on her side, holding her close to me and bouncing her would calm her down or put her to sleep, life as a first time mom got MUCH easier. 
2. I would attempt to not have the baby during football season.  Thankfully we live close to the high school and Craig was great about coming home as often as he could to see us, but it was still me, all day long.  And I had to figure it out.  There were times of tears and frustration and begging her to stop crying. There were six very intense weeks of hands on training. And, I wish that we had gotten to experience that insecurity of not knowing what to do together.  And thus, figured it out together. 
3. I wouldn’t buy a single piece of clothing.  We received so many cute outfits from wonderful friends and family that we ended up packing away outfits that she grew out of before she even had a chance to wear it. 
4. I would only buy/clothe my child in pants with the feet in them.  Keeping socks on a baby should be an olympic event. 
5. I would have cabinets full of medication to help with post-delivery recovery.  Cause it effing hurts.  I was prepared for the pain of labor.  I swear I was, even though I begged for an epi after 3 hours.  I was not, prepared for the pain of stitches and other fun delivery recovery. 
6. I would try to remember that the 4AM wakeup calls will not last forever and hang onto those moments when she is a squishy newborn that wants to be cuddled and snuggled.
7. I would accept that I was not going to be in my pre-pregnancy clothes when my six-week maternity leave was over. 

I’m sure as C starts to get older and I have to worry about things like teething, walking, a healthy diet, and discipline ( ::shudder:: ) I will have a list that’s miles long about all the things I would do differently, but for now, I think we’re doing OK here. 

What would you do differently?  Leave a comment and share it with me, or join the Writer’s Workshop and blog about it.