Lessons of a Rookie Mommy

How long does it take to go from rookie mommy to rockstar mom? Perhaps that will happen when "the baby" turns 18- I’ll then finally have it all together? Lately there have been a few mishaps and oversights that remind me that I am certainly a newbie at this even when I think that I’m getting the hang of it! I’m amazed that she teaches me so much everyday and thankful that I didn’t have to pass a test to be a parent (The only reason that I scored half the points I did on my SAT was because I could spell my name right!) ….. from the second that they set her little body on my chest it has been a learning experience (hey, I fully admitted to the entire delivery room that I didn’t know what to do with her and they still let me bring her home! LOL). My biggest lesson learned is to enjoy and savor the moments and to have a sense of humor about it.


When she was barely six weeks old, we ventured out on one of our usual Saturday morning adventures. Jason asks as we’re heading out the door, “Do you have her diaper bag?” Me, “Yes, it’s in the car.” A few hours later, the baby awakes cute as a button but ravenous and we go to get the bottle ready… no diaper bag. Well, I thought it was still in the trunk but Jason had taken it out of the car. As our diaper bag (I wanted something that Jason wouldn’t be embarrassed to tote in public, and you know that I’m so not fond of pink.) looks more like a laptop bag than one for all the necessary gear for baby-on-the-go, he is very mindful of not leaving it in the car.  (If something were to happen, I'd love to see the look on the face of that unsavory type when they discover Pampers, a binky and a can of Enfamil!) Terrific. We’re at least 20 minutes from home with a hungry baby. Nothing makes you feel more like a loser mom than a crying baby in front of other more experience Moms.  At least I had tossed a bottle in my purse at the last minute. Luckily we were at a “Supermom” yardsale- yes, mommies who aren’t rookies anymore. No, they were actually a mom’s group (I search craigslist for yard sales with “baby” stuff) and my new friend Jodi had a few ‘on-the-go’ formula packs still around to give me. Thank goodness- it would have really sucked to have to buy a $22 can of formula with all of the ones that we had at home! Lesson learned: The bottle in the purse now also has the powder formula in it; and I double check for the diaper bag.  Another positive outcome from this- I’ve since joined that "SuperMoms" Mom’s group and they rock!

Speaking of diaper bags; even though I've remembered to double check for them to "go" with us, I just now got the hang of also double checking what goes in them.... ran out of wipes and realized it in the middle of a poo diaper change- wet scratchy brown craftpaper towels had to make doo, I mean do.  And a very recent diaper blow-out meant needing a change of clothes.  It was fun squeezing a 12-pound baby into a 8-pound newborn onesie.   The undersized white cotton over the beer (formula) gut... and terribly clashing socks- poor baby.  My very first time I got to embarrass her.  Lesson learned: You can never have too many diaper wipes stashed everywhere and it's important to check the "spare" clothes in the bag especially with a growing baby!

I’ve been able to get away with filing Kiera’s nails up until the past week- they are growing super fast (a sign of a healthy baby!). Well, cutting her nails are not up there on the list of favorite things to do with my baby. She was nice and sleepy through her left hand, and then I get to the middle finger or her right hand, and what happens- bad mommy cuts the poor little baby’s finger. Oh man- it was so traumatic- for me. She cried just a little bit (nothing like she does sometimes when she is so so hungry!) and that was about it, but I’m still mad at myself for doing it. So, she has three long nails… for two days…. When she woke up with a mean little scratch on her nose from one of the remaining talons, I had to bite the bullet and conquer my fear of baby nail clippers. Those little buggers are still sharp! If I had finger nails like that, I’d save hundreds of dollars every year on my mani/ pedis! Lesson learned: clipping baby nails should be left for when baby is fast asleep and when Mommy hasn’t been drinking. (Just kidding… well, the drinking part.)

Then there was the time that she had a melt-down in Aisle 13 at Wal-Mart when I was grocery shopping…. I don’t like carrying around the big ol’ (although cute) diaper bag. Fly on over to the baby section and buy some more pascies that we didn’t need. Wait, cancel that- have you tried to keep tabs on those little buggers lately? I’m sure at some point I’ll be happy that I bought those…. Oh, and now I can relate to other parents’ that are encountering a mid-store melt-down instead of rolling my eyes like I used to do pre-child. Lesson learned: If you don’t want to tote the big ol’ diaper bag, then ensure that your beloved Coach purse is complete now with an accessory pacifier, Avent bottle and wipes. If only I could invent a baby swing that folded up into a nice purse size!

Oh, and of course who could forget the time when I dropped her… just kidding! See, I guess worse things can happen! She’ll never remember the forgotten diaper bag, Mommy-inflicted middle finger cut or cryfest in the cereal aisle. (Oh honey, you just wait until Mommy says 'no' to the Froot Loops when you're four… we’re a SugarSmacks family afterall.) Lesson learned: I’ll never be ‘the perfect’ parent (helllooo Mommie Dearest)- hell, who is? Perfect or not, I will always strive to do my very best for little Kiera and to love her with my whole heart. I’ll always comfort you when you wake up from a bad dream (like last night- what? You drank my moo juice along with your Cakesters….oh nooo… I mean what else can a little baby dream about?); kiss your boo-boos to make them heal faster; give you advice that I’m sure you really won’t listen to; and I will always be there for you.  I will never judge you, abuse you, call you names or hurt you.  I'll love you with my whole heart and soul and someday I hope that she will think that I'm that rockstar mom- as good of a mom to that sweet little baby as mine is to me!