Things I did not expect as a new mother...

This morning while walking from my bus stop to work, I realized I still had all this lint on my jacket from last winter from carrying Kashia around and all her blankets.  I just laughed because this was not something I expected would happen after I had a child. LINT?  So that left me thinking... what other things have surprised me over the last year?

Well, that makes to top of my list as I'm brainstorming this morning.  Lint!

I guess second I'll have to post about poop.  I expected the spit up and barf being on my clothes from watching Gaojai raise her first two boys.  But I did not think poop would get on my clothes.  I guess that's not even the worst of it.  A few times it came up the front of her diaper and made a full circle around her body starting at her belly button.  I've seen this happen to Gaojoua too, but much more dramatic, it went all the way up to her neck.

Third, I'd have to admit I was quite surprised when I found myself not having time to shower.  Especially those months where I stayed home with Kashia.  When Yaotshing went back to work, I found it harder and harder to use the bathroom, brush my teeth, and shower.  It's not that I didn't have enough time, time was there, it was because I was so exhausted, and busy out of my mind. 

And that brings me to my forth point.  I did not know I would love and hate nursing so much! They were the most difficult days of my life, her learning to latch on.  I expected the late night feedings and loss of sleep, but I did not know there would be a comparable pain to labor! It didn't last too long, thankfully, but man, those days were dark.  However, after I passed that mark, I could not be happier to connect with my daughter in this way.  It's great to know that this has created a bond strong enough to comfort her when she is sick and cannot eat through a bottle, or when she has an ear infection and in pain.  I'm in the process of weaning her off and it is hard, not for her, but for me.  I've cried just thinking about not nursing her anymore. (Though pumping I could care less for!)

Ok, so I've covered nursing, showering and poop.  Oh, I know! My hair! I've always shed hair and it's always been collected on our carpet everywhere we live.  This is disgusting I know! BUT, you mothers out there know that after all those hormone changes and vitamins you take, you get such thick luscious hair, that falls out by the handful in the shower or when you are brushing it.  I had the nastiest patch of baby hair in the front.  It has finally reached a length that I can comb down and it stays!

This last one is a bit naive.  I should have seen this one coming but it was seriously not on my mind.  I've lost any private time I might have had with Yaotshing.  It gets harder and harder to have a conversation without waking her up or interrupted by chasing Kashia down because she put something in her mouth.  I think 8 months went by without us realizing we had not spent a single hour together alone.  It wasn't on my mind, and it wasn't on Yaotshing's mind either.  We LOVED spending time with our daughter, but after a night out just the two of us, we realized just how important it was (we were forced by my sisters).

Ok, I have to get back to work.  That list is pretty good for now.  I'm sure I'll continue to add things later as she grows up and I'm discovering new things she does and says at each stage.  I have to say, I LOVE being her mom.  I can't wait for more kids to be in the picture and add to our family.
-Mitchia