How to Survive the First 8 Months!

It's hard to believe that my little girl is almost 8 months old. I know it is nothing, and soon I will be wondering how she became 18 years old...but still - this has felt like the fastest 8 months of my life! This tiny little girl has been the biggest gift from God. I could not have dreamed up a more amazing kid if I tried.  I know most parents feel this way about their kids, but seriously...she is INCREDIBLE!

I have some tips for some of you soon to be parents out there, or maybe you are brand new parents and still trying to figure it all out. Heck, maybe you are just thinking about having a kid at this point! I've learned a lot in the past 8 months and I am sure each day will only bring more revelations.

1. Get help for the first 1-2 weeks: After 9+ months of growing a child, you will need assistance when he/she arrives. You will be unbelievably tired and emotional and you just need someone to hand the baby to so you can go to the bathroom. Trust me. I had my mom with me for 10 glorious days after Noelle was born and she was a lifesaver. Whether it is a mom, grandma, mother in law, aunt, friend, crazy next door neighbor, whatever...find someone to help you.
   
   
2. Take it one day at a time and don't stress too much: You are getting to know that little person on a daily basis. What works one day will not work the next day, and that is ok. Chances are after a few days or so you will be the person who knows your kid THE BEST. Isn't that a settling truth? No one will know your kid quite as well as you do. This means you need to take a deep breath and roll with the punches. I spent so much time stressing over my little bundle of joy refusing to sleep on her own in her crib. Guess what? She does it great now. Guess what else? I kinda miss how I could ALWAYS get her to sleep on my chest so soundly. She really sleeps better on her own 95% of the time. Somewhere along the way I luckily realized I could stop obsessing over where she slept, and just know that I would always do what was best to get her to rest. Now I try to enjoy the times she needs to sleep with me. In the very near future she will not want to sleep or snuggle with me much at all!!
   
   
3. Set up a routine as soon as you can: You may not be a person who thrives on routine, but I love it. Turns out most babies love it too! It helps them get in predictable patterns and then they aren't as much of a mystery to you. They know what to expect and respond better to the jarring reality that they aren't in the womb anymore.  I personally loved The Baby Whisperer method. I understood more of what Noelle was needing and how to help her develop a routine. By 3-4 weeks old I knew what to expect and when to expect it. SUPER helpful.
   
   
4. Don't be obsessed with sticking to the routine: This may seem to negate #3, but the other really important thing about routines is that you have to let yourself be flexible. I have done plenty of things that the "Baby Whisperer" would probably shake her head at me in disappointment, but I knew what was best for Noelle and me at the time. Some days babies just have "off days" and everything is blown out of the water. Oh well. They aren't going to remember it 20 years from now much less 20 hours from now. So do your best, but chances are you are going to adapt it to fit your life and your kid as needed. Her days with me are far different from her days with Josh - and she adjusts accordingly!
   
   
5. Find Mommy friends to ask questions to: My favorite support system has been my mommy friends. Whether they have a kid who is 2 weeks older than Noelle or 2 years older, they have such great experience to tap into. My mom and mother-in-law have been great helps too - but the best advice has come from my friends who have very recently gone through the same thing. Baby guidelines have changed drastically since we were babies, so my friends offer something my parents can't!  If you don't have friends your age that have gone before you by a few months or years, find a group! There are some Mommy support groups out there if you do the work to search for them.
   
   
6. Let some stuff go: You will not be able to do it all with an infant around. Some things will have to fall by the wayside...like having a lovely clean house all the time, wearing makeup on a regular basis, or cooking dinner every night (or ever in some seasons!) Don't let it get to you. Your baby is only a baby for a short season, so enjoy it while it is here!
   
   
7. Spend some time away from the baby: I have the gift/curse (haha) of being a part time stay at home mom and part time employee. It's hard for sure some days, but I know it is so good for her to be with Josh  and I know it is good for me to talk to grown ups. Even if you don't work, you can enjoy volunteering somewhere. I am away from the munchkin one night a week and on Saturdays most weekends while I volunteer at church. At Quest they provide childcare for volunteers during services, which is so great, and luckily I have found great people who are willing to help me while I volunteer during other times so I don't have to hire sitters. That time away makes you cherish and appreciate the time with your baby even more, and it is SO GOOD for kids to be around lots of people who love them. I really believe in the mentality of it takes a village to raise a kid...we are social creatures people, and I think it is important to have a well-socialized kid. It will make your life so much easier in the long run.
   
   
8. Don't forget to invest in your marriage: Date night, date night, date night. As soon as you are comfortable, get in the habit of a regular date night where you go OUT of the house. It can be for just an hour at first if you want, but do it. You will probably talk about how amazing your kid is the whole time, but you need to continue investing in each other. Marriage takes work, and even if you see each other more because there is a baby you will still need separate one on one time with your spouse.

There you go - a tip for each month the little booger has been in our lives!!  I hope you found it was helpful in some form or fashion! There is so much more I could tell you, so if you ever have a question refer to #5 and get in touch with me :)