Well, this blog pretty much up and died, didn't it? You'd think something happened that took away the brunt of my free time... I don't know who those mommy bloggers are who write daily missives of their parenting adventures. Maybe they dose their kids with cough syrup in the afternoon so they can have some alone time. As it is, I've got Mairead strapped to me in the Snugli, fast asleep, so I thought I'd make note of some of the many things motherhood has taught me so far.

1. You don't understand how much your own mom loves you until you have a baby of your own. You just don't have a clue. I love Mairead so much it hurts. Sometimes it makes me cry, all the while smiling through my tears as she looks up into my face with utter trust and love. This is the single most important thing I've learned. Possibly in my entire life.
2. A baby can poop their own weight in a day. And then there's the pee.
3. Sleep is actually an optional activity. If it was necessary, I would have died in the first week. That said, I'm told I shouldn't brag too much because other moms will hate me, because Mairead has been sleeping through the night since she was four weeks old.
4. It's impossible to be selfish and be a good parent. After years of living a self-absorbed lifestyle, suddenly I'm not the most important person anymore, which is a hard change to make, especially after being pregnant when all the focus was on me. I'm going to have to retire my "Me Me Me" shirt, and make way for Mairead's "It's all about me" onesie.
5. Babies are like bonfires. You can stare at them for hours, even if they're only sleeping.
6. Every baby smile is precious. Each one fills me with joy.
7. All your principles and convictions go right out the window after you have a baby. I use disposable diapers (the cloth ones we bought don't fit yet), the air conditioning in the car, I'm late for everything... none of it matters. The only thing that matters is that your baby is comfortable. Oh, and everything she owns is pink. I always swore I'd never be one of those moms who dressed her daughter all in pink, but I do. Shamelessly.
8. I'm not going to be writing a book while on maternity leave. I didn't have the slightest inkling how much time being a mother to a newborn involves. Even getting this far on this post has taken over three hours, due to various baby needs (crying, changing, feeding, playing, putting to bed, etc.). I figure if there's going to be any book-writing going on, it will be once my kids are in school.
9. Getting out of the house every day becomes monumentally important. I can't stand it if I have to stay in all day. Thank god it's summer and we can take walks every day. I have no clue what we're going to do in the winter. I do not want to become a mall-walker.

There's so much more, but my addled, sleep-deprived brain (Mairead may sleep through the night, but I'm compelled to check on her every hour or two, so I'm up and down a lot) can't think of them right now. Suffice to say I like being a mommy. It feels like this is what I was meant to do, which is something that I've never really felt about any job that I've had. It's just right somehow. How people hand their kids over to nannies or daycares is beyond me.

I'm going to try and keep this more current in the future, and while the lion's share will be baby-related, I've no doubt, not all of it will be. No more six-week breaks in between posts. I'm not my sister, after all...

And as a point of humour, one of the suggestions the Microsoft Word dictionary makes for "Mairead" is "Airhead." Don't tell her...