Ten Things I've Learned Since Becoming A Mama

1 ~ Babies are hard work. Really, really hard work. Even my sweet, calm, easy going baby is Really Really Hard Work.

2 ~ Mothers do not get a day off. Hell, I'm happy to get five minutes off to wash the dishes or go to the toilet on my own.

3 ~ Small victories are to be celebrated. If I manage to not only have a shower, but WASH MY HAIR (!!!) I want to announce it to the world like I've found the cure for cancer.

4 ~ Don't sweat the small stuff, like the fact that my house is an utter pigsty & will likely never be clean again. Instead, you sweat the tiny, miniscule, far-fetched stuff. Like: Is the baby breathing? Has she pooed today? What if those crazy people are right & my baby gets autism from her immunisations? What if she's too beautiful & people compliment her all the time for being pretty & she grows up shallow & vapid & vain? (Yes, this is an actual concern of mine. Yes, I am ridiculous.)

5 ~ Babies provide hours of entertainment. Which is just as well because I won't be making it to the movies any time soon.

6 ~ People LOVE little babies. The Supermarket cashiers love little babies. The Intermediate boys at the bus stop love little babies. The elderly Italian man at the Island Bay Festival loves little babies. And people want to give babies presents. I have received so many presents for Kowhai, from so many people, including my next door neighbour's mother who I have never even met.

7 ~ Some people are scared of babies. They are tiny & helpless & vulnerable & OH MY GOD WHAT IF I BREAK IT?!?!

8 ~ You can survive on very little sleep. However, some days surviving means staying home in your pyjamas, ordering in Pizza & watching Gilmore Girls all day long.

9 ~ When people offer to helo you out with your new baby they really, genuinely mean it.

10 ~ NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN! (Especially my stomach.)

Some days motherhood looks like this

Some days it looks more like this