Things I've Learned in the Last Few Weeks

1. Labor makes you cold. Or at least it made me cold. Like shivering/freezing cold. (I would totally expect the opposite.)  The heated blankets they have at the hospital are amazing.

2. I find myself now often referring to myself in the 3rd person... Like "Mommy's coming" or "It's ok, Mommy's got you". I find it odd and annoying at the same time, yet continue to find myself doing it. 

3. Hair on a newborn is awesome. "He looks like an actual person with that hair," said one of our friends. Of course, kid already looks like he needs a haircut, too.

4. People love giving babies blankets.  I feel like my house has been taken over with blankets.

5. Nursing isn't easy. It isn't impossible, but it certainly isn't easy. It also is time consuming. Or at least it is for me. I am learning how to stay occupied during that time. 

6. It is possible to have a newborn and take a shower every day. 

7. Everyone has an opinion when it comes to babies.  Rarely do these opinions agree.  This is true for medical professionals as well.

8.  Baby tracker apps are amazing.  We are using BabyConnect.  It helps when we are sleep deprived so we can remember exactly what is going on (especially when the doctor asks).

9. I miss teaching.  Right now the days (and nights) are long but I know when things start to get easier I will miss teaching less.  It is also hard to figure out "who I am" right now.  I don't want to be looked down upon because I don't work outside the home.  But I also don't want to assume that people will look down on me.

10. Having a strong circle of friends is truly life saving at this point.  We have friends who have brought us food and visited with us (to make us feel less isolated).  We even have friends who bought/brought us a Christmas tree so Little Man would have a great first Christmas.  They check in on us and love us and I know I would be a giant wreck without them.