No D-Day: The Poop, The Scoop, & The Endless Loop

(just a few of the things that I have learned from being a mom)


#1 Baby poop comes in all colors of the rainbow.Its almost artistic...in a totally disgusting kind of way.(and that's probably all you want to hear about that)

#2 This should be #1...as it's the most important baby fact ever-WASH YOUR HANDS, PEOPLE. Being in nursing school, you have to get into the habit of washing your hands A. when entering the patient room B. when exiting the patient room C.anytime you think your hands are dirty D. before any sort of procedure and E. whenever you think your instructor is watching you out of the corner of your eye. There are hand washing spies, whose sole job is to lurk around & take polls of the rate of handwashing compliance. (which they post, for all the world to see) In the hospital,the biggest cause of nonsocomial infections(communicable) is not washing your hands, and it is a very,very, big deal. Since I wash my hands a zillion times a day anyway, as I'm always cleaning up poop/pee/spitup/drool & other "unmentionable" tasks...I am used to doing this. But it really turns you into an OCD freak. ("Ackkk! a speck of dirt, need to wash my hands STAT!")

#3 Plan for the worst,when you leave the house...there is no such thing as being over prepared.

#4 Babies gravitate toward the most dangerous item in the room. ("Electrical cords-those look like fun, let's go chew on them!") Cat just puked? let's go check it it out! Small piece of plastic wrap on the floor-why not put it in our mouth and freak Momma out! Seriously,safe toys are NO FUN. (in their world) Which is why I find myself trying to think up exciting, non-dangerous toys but to a teething, ravenous,crawling 9-month-old, there really is no such thing as a safe toy. Even rattles they stick the stick end in their mouth & its just like (Agggghhhhhhhh) trying to prevent them from injury. Double incentive toward keeping those floors vacuumed. (complete cleanliness was never this much of a need, before)

#5 Every baby should probably have a helmet...at the rate they bang their head on things. Glad that mine is already wearing one. (does double duty)

#6 Holy wow, do they grow. (and eat...constantly) At 9 months old, my little dude is 20 lbs & what feels like half the length of his crib already. (and has five teeth) He isn't very chunky, which concerns me (it seems like babies should have some sort of fat reserve) but the pediatrician assures me that he's within normal limits. (pardon my mommy brain, we always find "something" to worry about)Growing + happy=healthy baby, so I just need to chill out.

#7 Their first words will be "Da-da"...which they will repeat for hours on end,seemingly endlessly. (to the delight of the dad, and the consternation of the mom.)

#8 Babyhood is all too fleeting...& then I can learn all about parenting a toddler!