Baby Lessons

The learning curve on motherhood sure is steep, and the on-the-job training happens 24/7! With that said, here are some lessons I've learned in the past 5 weeks and 2 days:

1) No matter how many gadgets you buy for baby to sleep in - swing, bouncy seat, crib, bassinet - he would still rather sleep on your chest.
2) Hand pumps are useless.
3) Pregnancy sleep deprivation, while uncomfortable and no fun, in no way prepares you for newborn sleep deprivation.
4) As soon as your dinner is ready, your baby will cry/need to be fed/want to be held.
5) Baby poops/gas are so loud they can make you jump!
6) Even when you have a free, very competent babysitter (grandma/grandpa/best friend/etc), you will have a very hard time leaving your precious little one. You should leave anyway - it helps your marriage and your sanity.
7) The cute little burp cloths at Babies R Us are much less effective than ugly cloth diapers when it comes to holding crazy volumes of spit-up.

I guess this is why they say, "I was a great parent before I had kids." :)

And here's a picture, just for fun - taken at 4 weeks old: