It's been almost a year since Leonardo Felix came into the world. It feels like only yesterday that Tom & I were labor. What a year it has been! And what an incredible journey. Words can not express the love I feel for Leo & the joy he brings to Tom & I.

I thought that I had prepared quite well for motherhood. I took all kinds of baby classes, read tons of books, blogs & websites & spent hours researching every baby product on the market. I spoke with family and friends to get their take on motherhood & I've been around kids for most of my life. Well, things do not always go according to plan. I learned (rather quickly) that "motherhood" is more difficult than I imagined. Especially when you do not have family members living close by to help out. And of course, its also more rewarding.

The biggest surprise of it all is how much I'm learning from my own little boy. I'm the parent, the teacher, the guardian. I am suppose to be all knowing & yet Leo has taught me some wonderful life lessons already. Here are just some of them.

1. To Do Lists become irrelevant, esp. in those 1st few months. I'm a big"list" person. It brings me great joy to have a daily list & have it all checked off by the end of the day. That was BB - before baby. Hey, I was lucky to get a shower in those first few months let alone complete my daily list. My daily lists have now become "weekly" list & I noticed that they are much shorter now. Of course now that I have a 1yr old, I've lost a few brain cells so I have to write everything down or I'll forget it!

2. Do not even think about putting on a cute outfit until exactly 2 minutes before you are going to walk out the door. This lesson goes not only for myself but baby also. I'd dress Leo up in the cutest outfit, sit him in his bouncer & turn around for 1 minute & he'd be covered in spit-up. And the same goes for me. I must add to this lesson "always check out your backside in the mirror before going out." You may be 100% puke-free in the front but you never know what's splattered on your ass.

3. Farts, burps and other normal bodily functions are funny. Yes, it's OK to admit it. Even the smallest bambino thinks it's the best joke in the universe. Of course Leo laughs very hard when he or I toot, but, not so much when Daddy does it. When Daddy let's em rip it's just plain gross!

4. You can survive on much less sleep than you ever thought possible. I do not think this needs much explanation. All you moms (& dads, too) out there know it's true. You still have to get up, take care of baby, house, chores & work even on none hours of sleep.

5. Always trust your motherly instincts. They really kick into high gear once your baby arrives & yet sometimes we push them aside or just do not trust them. I learned this lesson the hard way when Leo was 5 weeks old & not gaining weight. I knew something was not right, but doctors told me everything was fine. It was not. No need to be alarmed. The problem was addressed & now he is very healthy & heavy!

6. Slow down and really look at the world around you. Leo is quite the observer. He was born with his eyes wide open & he's been alert from day one. He really looks closely at everything around him & does not miss anything. He has made me slow down & look at birds (his fav), flowers & people. Beauty is everywhere.

7. Playing is so very important. I guess as adult you lose it for a bit. "Playing" can be looked upon as frivolous, immature behavior. Oh how very wrong this is!! Not only do you learn & connect with your baby through play, but you both smile & laugh. A lot. I think it keeps you young, calm and healthy. I want to play everyday for the rest of my life!! Hide and Seek anyone?


8. Laugh more often. Have you ever heard a baby belly laugh? That sound is so pure and wonderful. Some days any little face you make at them sends them into a chuckle frenzy. Other days they make you work harder for it. None of this matters because once the laughter begins, you realize it's the best sound in the entire world. No symphony can compare.

9. Live in the moment. Let go of the past & stop looking to the future. The here and now is where it's at. These precious moments are fleeting so revel in them because in a blink of an eye your precious baby will be a teen. Thank you Mr. Leo for teaching me this. I was very much a "future" person. I'll be happy when... The here & now.. that's the good stuff.

10. Celebrate all small victories. We mark every little thing our babies do from their 1st smile to the 1st time they roll over. We clap our hands with honest enthusiasm, cheer them on, and dance with glee at every new skill they learn, no matter how small. But somehow we lose this as we get older. The small steps do not seem all that important. We celebrate only the leaps and bounds. Why is this? Isn't it the small steps that enable us to climb to the top of the mountain? So hats off to every little step we all take because combined, they will lead us towards our big victories.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL BOY!!! YOU ARE LOVED SO VERY MUCH!

Posted by Dawn Falcone @ 9:12 AM 5 comments