When Jeremy and I found out we were expecting, we could not have been more thrilled! The excitement of the thought of being parents made us SO happy and excited! I remember when we finally started sharing the news and it was so fun telling people and getting their reaction!
Unfortunately, with happiness comes DD's (debbie downers) who always have to trump your happiness and excitement with their "advice" and/or stories. There is nothing worse then having someone tell you horror stories that are meant to scare you or make you second guess yourself!
The most common would always be people telling me to get my sleep now (when I was pregnant) because I would never sleep again. Enjoy date nights/going out to dinner now because once baby comes that won't happen. Enjoy taking vacations now because you won't want to with a baby! AND Jeremy's favorite "ohhhhh! you just wait until (insert whatever "horrible" thing you can think of) happens, then you will remember me!" When Olivia was in the NICU people said some AWFUL and VERY rude things, but I think in the situation we were sensitive and people probably didn't know exactly what to say to us.
At first, we would get upset but then we decided to respond the way we would when we would talk about it at home...
We started responding with "well we CHOSE to become parents..." or "Well, we can't WAIT to experience that!" Have any of you run into DDs?
Olivia will be 2 on May 23rd, so now having a TODDLER (wow, weird to say that!!) I can tell you the response I would give now would be:
"It doesn't last forever!"
The late night feedings...they don't last forever
The middle of the night wake up calls...they don't last forever
The spit up...it doesn't last forever
BF/ or buying formula...it doesn't last forever
The blow out diapers (we only had 2 or 3) they don't last forever
Spending money on diapers...it doesn't last forever
Eating your dinner standing up, cold, or with only 1 hand...it doesn't last forever
Eating your dinner standing up, cold, or with only 1 hand...it doesn't last forever
Your baby wanting to be held 24/7...it doesn't last forever
All of the things that most people would "complain" about, I looked forward to! (Yes, even the poopy diapers! ha) I seriously have enjoyed every. single. thing. I remember Jeremy and I would take turns for the middle of the night feedings (we called them cuddles) because we both LOVED that time (and still do!)! Olivia would be SO cuddly and loving and her glider is the most comfortable piece of furniture EVER! haha
Every thing to Jeremy and I has been special and some sort of milestone! Olivia's first poopy diaper was celebrated. The first time she fell asleep in our arms. The first time Olivia sucked her thumb. The first time she grabbed a toy. The first time we took her on a plane (oh yeah we HAVE vacationed with Olivia MANY times!) etc. All of these ordinary moments pass by in the blink of an eye!
Every thing to Jeremy and I has been special and some sort of milestone! Olivia's first poopy diaper was celebrated. The first time she fell asleep in our arms. The first time Olivia sucked her thumb. The first time she grabbed a toy. The first time we took her on a plane (oh yeah we HAVE vacationed with Olivia MANY times!) etc. All of these ordinary moments pass by in the blink of an eye!
I look back and feel like it was just yesterday that we found out I was pregnant, and now in a couple months we will have a 2 year old!
Being Olivia's mommy has been nothing short of amazing and while she will ALWAYS be my baby, the baby phase did NOT last forever! All of those "things" that people said to do BEFORE we had our baby, we still enjoy, just in a different way! Jeremy and I go on date nights, we have taken family vacations and plan to go on a vacation just us 2 this summer, we go out to eat with Olivia, we take her with us to run errands/go shopping, etc. Life hasn't stopped! Olivia is the PERFECT addition to our family AND our lifestyle!
So, if you are currently expecting PLEASE don't let the DD's steal your thunder! This time is EXCITING and the unexpected will be LEARNED! We didn't read the books, we made decisions based on our instincts and listened to the doctors when necessary.
Having a baby doesn't last forever!
*This post was inspired by a friend who has been "hit" by the DD's*
So, if you are currently expecting PLEASE don't let the DD's steal your thunder! This time is EXCITING and the unexpected will be LEARNED! We didn't read the books, we made decisions based on our instincts and listened to the doctors when necessary.
Having a baby doesn't last forever!
*This post was inspired by a friend who has been "hit" by the DD's*
12 comments:
I totally agree! (But I HATED being woken up in the middle of the night...for me, that was 100% true!)
You are absolutely right! In the throws of the drama, its hard to remember that, but still very true.
GREAT post. I couldn't agree more. Everyone wants to scare you about parenting for some reason. It's so silly.
Great post and a gorgeous daughter!
It is sad that it doesn't last forever and they so many people forget to enjoy the "crazy" parent time because it goes by so quickly!! Great post!
This post is SO great, friend!!! I hate all the negativity sometimes, and I haven't even gone thru this myself! Just hearing people tell others to enjoy your date nights, vacations, sleep etc-- is so silly! People focus on the negative and think its' funny- I just hate that!! I like your responses to those types of people though, I'll keep them in mind when my time comes :)
I am a firm believer that those DD's only happen if you let them, like you are saying. Its all about your choices and what's right for you!
Hopefully this chapter will soon be happening for my husband and I. It's true though people can be some serious debbie downers. Even when I talk about wanting babies I get that kind of reaction about sleep and vacations and date nights. Last I checked having a baby is a HUGE blessing and should not be looked at for all the 'negatives' that come along with it. Sleep deprive and vacations set back a year or so are all fine by me if having a baby is the reason!
Love that you and your husband both don't mind the middle of the night time with Olivia. So sweet! :)
I love this post! It's so encouraging!
You will have to let me know what glider you have so I can make a note of it for the future
Aw it definitely doesn't but all these new things are so exciting!!
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Thank you so much for this post. My husband and I have been married for a little over 4 years and we have been trying to get pregnant for the last 3 years. We both want to have a big family but have not been able to get pregnant. Some of our friends and family have had 3 babies in the time we have wanted one. All they do is complain and tell us to "wait" and tell us "horror" stories. Some of these people complain about every little thing and they seem so miserable. My husband and I often wonder why those people have been blessed with so many babies when we haven't been blessed with one. I know that I want a big family but those people can really bring me down and make me feel horrible for wanting a baby so bad. Like you, I too look forward to every little thing being a parent brings with it.
I honestly loved everything about having a newborn/infant. I have 3, and they grew up way too quickly. I know it will go even faster with #4!
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