The ABC's of Parenting a Baby

This week, 60+ bloggers from the Kid Blogger Network are blogging about the ABC’s of all sorts of topics relating to kids such as the ABC’s of Toddler Activities and the ABC’s of Playdough Recipes.  They are all extremely well done, so you’ll want to check out the full list of participating bloggers here.  I didn’t sign up to do the ABC’s of anything although I’m a part of the KBN, but last night as I was giving Jonathan an impromptu bath after a diaper disaster, I thought – why not do the ABC’s of Parenting a Baby!  After all, my fourth baby just turned one, and I feel like we’ve been in the baby stage for a very long time!

So here’s my (silly, just for fun) list:

A is for Alarm Clock.  You won’t need an alarm clock anymore, because baby will be sure to get you up!

B is for Blow-out.  Before kids, a blow-out was something that happened to a tire.  Now there are other types of blow-outs to experience!

C is for Cute.  It is a good thing they are so very cute!

D is for Drool.  Everywhere.  And drooly fingers exploring your face.  (Although I don’t know about you, but my kids’ drool is quite a bit less gross than other babies’ drool!)

E is for Emergency bath in a sink out in public somewhere.  Because sometimes, wipes are not enough.

F is for Free advice you didn’t ask for.  Some is fairly overt as in, “Oh, that baby should have a coat on!”  Other times, it’s more subtle.  “You’re letting him crawl around on the floor in here?  You’re a brave mother!”

G is for Google Searches.  Things you never thought you’d have to search.  Like “black spots in poop”  and “how to get a raisin out of baby’s nose.”

H is for hugs.  Because baby cuddles are the sweetest things.

I is for Internet shopping.  Being able to order things online becomes so much more valuable when you have to haul little ones out to the store with you!

J is for juggling.  Also called multi-tasking.  It’s amazing how you can learn to cook dinner, switch the laundry, and answer the phone – all without putting down the baby!

K is for Kisses.  Slobbery kisses, to be exact.  (And they’ll still melt your heart.)

L is for Lego in a diaper.  True story!  I found a Lego in our baby’s diaper last week.  Yes, it had traveled all the way through his digestive track!  It was a great lesson to the other boys about why we need to keep little things picked up off the floor.

M is for milestones.  Because you never knew how absolutely incredible clapping, waving, babbling, crawling, and toddling could be!

N is for night time feedings.  Our fourth son demanded to be fed every two hours day and night for the first couple weeks of his life.  Just about did us in, as we weren’t as young as we were when our first son was born!

O is for only little for such a short time.  As bad as those night time feedings seem, that stage is truly so short!  Our babies didn’t sleep through the night until 6 months or older, but now those night time awake times are just a memory.  Our oldest son is turning 10 this year.  Where has the time gone?

P is for poop, of course.  So many things for us moms to worry about here.  Is baby pooping often enough?  Too much?  Does it look normal?  What does google say?

Q is for quality time with hubby.  Before baby, quality time was dinner out somewhere with tablecloths.  Now, a quality evening is both of you in the same room with baby sleeping on someone’s chest.

R is for resting peacefully.  In the car.  And now you don’t know whether to try to move him to his bed or not…

S is for sleep deprivation.  This a new kind of tired that caffeine doesn’t fix.

The ABC's of Parenting a Baby

This is the face of sleep deprivation after three nights in the hospital

T is for two-parent jobs.  There are many of these with a baby.  The one that most readily comes to mind is suctioning out baby’s nose without lacerating the inside of the nose with the bulb syringe.  Getting a baby to swallow a dose of sticky pink antibiotic comes in a close second.

U is for Up to Your Neck in Laundry.  Adding a baby adds more than just the additional laundry of an additional person.  It’s more than that, because baby usually manages to dirty your clothes while he’s dirtying his own.

V is for Viruses.  Poor baby will find all sorts of viruses to sample.  And pass on to the rest of the family!

W is for Why is the baby crying?  Often, the answer remains a mystery.

X is for ex-cape.  (Well, escape really, but what starts with X?)  We all need to escape every now and then!

Y is for “You’ve got your hands full!”  This line will be repeated often by well-meaning strangers in the grocery store, mainly if you have 3 or more children or 2 that appear to be very close in age.

Z is for Zoo.  Life with little ones is a zoo sometime, but they are worth every moment, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world!

11 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Becky Jan 9, 2013

    Okay, too funny! Thanks for making me laugh and for linking to the ABC's of series. :)

    Reply
  2. Aleacia Jan 9, 2013

    A new kind of tired caffeine doesn't fix, so true. In fact, that's why I never sit down, I'd fall asleep immediately, lol!

    Reply
  3. Katie Jan 9, 2013

    LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! this may be one of my top ABC posts!!! And your babies slept through the night at 6 months???? You are so lucky! Mine don't do that now at 4 and two! ;) I kid, I kid.....sorta.

    Reply
  4. Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum Jan 10, 2013

    Great list :) (I'm with Katie on the sleep.... 22 months and almost 3 and a half and neither sleep through the night even the medical definition of 5 hours!)

    Reply
  5. Sarah Jan 10, 2013

    Good to know! I'm taking notes ;)

    Reply
  6. Cassie @ 3Dinosaurs.com Jan 10, 2013

    I love the list! That is great!

    Reply
  7. Jen Jan 10, 2013

    Great post! Even though my babies are all grown up now, this list brought everything screaming back to me! Gotta love those little babies.

    Reply
  8. Valerie @ Glittering Muffins Jan 10, 2013

    Awesome! That's all :)

    Reply
  9. maggy, red ted art Jan 10, 2013

    Brilliant. Should be sent all mums to be!

    Reply
  10. Hannah @ Making BoysMen Jan 10, 2013

    Made me chuckle! And a Lego in the diaper - impressive!

    Reply
  11. Ann @ My Nearest and Dearest Jan 11, 2013

    Thanks for the laugh!

    Reply

Post a Comment