Dear Self, You, New Mama,

 

When you first met the Peanut, you really didn’t have any idea what you were doing.  Sure, there were moments that felt like maternal instinct, but most of what you were functioning on was your growing experience of knowing the little man.  Now when, God willing, Number Two comes along, all of this may be entirely different—different people, different development.  But as the Peanut has just hit the four-month mark, I’ve realized there are some things I’d like you to keep in mind for Number Two, when the time comes.  Very little has happened when you expected it to, and there have been some major transitions from months three to four, so please refer back here when you feel like you may or may not be losing your mind with a second little one.

 

First order of business:  Baby recognizing you.  It took the Peanut about two months to really look at you, and then another week or two to really smile.  Hearty laughter came more around three months. This felt like a long time, but now it’s the greatest thing ever.  Perspective, lady, it’s all about perspective.

 

Second order of business:  Nighttime feedings and diaper changes.  These do taper off.  Sometime between two and three months, changing in the middle of a feeding—and then changing in the middle of the night—become just about obsolete.  (Some of that has made a not-so-triumphant return, but now we can safely call it a phase, I think.)  All these things will pass, so try your best to appreciate the snuggles while you can.

 

Third order of business: Snuggles.  These didn’t happen right away either—at least not from the Peanut’s point of view.  Between three and four months (apparently the magic time when a newborn becomes a baby baby), he started to get drapey when you picked him up in the morning.  This is a close second to baby’s smile in the race for greatest thing in the world.  It will come, I promise.

 

Fourth order of business: Your clothes.  All those clothes you’re looking at in your closet, gearing up to pass them on because no way in the world will they ever fit again?  Think again.  You may feel that there was a rapid weight loss and then you plateaued, but that just means you’re not done yet.  Try to eat healthy and walk when you can, but don’t freak out.  And don’t go spend the month’s food budget on new clothes either.  Unless there’s a really good sale at Banana Republic . . .

 

Fifth order of business:  Time flying by.  It may seem that the first three months of a new little one’s life took just about forever.  Now that we’re out of that tunnel, though, I have a feeling time’s going to start whizzing by.  Try to take some time to make some notes about Number Two, simply to remind yourself how very blessed you are.  This blog is essentially one long note to self, and even if you can’t see going back to it to reread more than this now, the time will come, and you’ll be grateful this is here.  Now go play with those little munchkin-faces!

 

Love,
Lindsay