Now That I'm a Parent.

Talking with my amazing friends, Amber and Nicole today at Sam's birthday party, we were discussing how incredible it is to see our little ones grow up so quickly. Amber celebrated her 10 year anniversary yesterday... Xavier will be 10 in September... Norah will be four months old tomorrow, and Samantha is now a year, with Maggie turning one month next week!



I realized there's a lot I've learned and realized now that I'm a parent...



* The love I have for my husband has grown even more... when he held Samantha for the first time and I saw the tears in his eyes, my heart grew even more for him. This happened again with Maggie. It was hard to imagine Brandon as a Dad, and now he's an amazing father who brings so much light and life into Samantha and Maggie's life.


* I can stomach puke. And poop. And puke and poop at the same time. As long as the poop and puke belong to one of my children.

* Patience really DOES pay off. (Amazing, huh, Mom & Dad?!) Babies cry. Newborns don't sleep through the night. 1 year olds fight nap time and diaper changes. Eventually, the crying stops, they start sleeping through the night, and they're so tired they fall asleep and their diaper is changed.

* Boxes and wrapping paper make the best gifts for little ones.

* Children are sponges from a very young age. Samantha could tell when I was upset or angry when she was a few months old. She could also tell when happiness was overflowing. At one she's picking up more than we probably realize.

* They really do grow up too quickly. Before I knew it, I was planning Sam's birthday... and today we were celebrating it.

* Hearing "Mama" or "Dada" for the first time makes your heart melt.

* Sleeping babies bring peace to your world.

* Having kids makes you want to be a better person.

* There's a lot to learn with the first child... such as, crib sets are pointless, new clothes can be a waste of money, unless on sale, consignment shops are awesome, the color pink gets really old, and there's no such thing as having a completely baby-proof house (they'll always find something to get into).

I realize more and more everyday. I'm blessed to have such an amazing family... my husband and girls are my world.
Melissa