52 Realizations of 2012 (baby related, naturally)

1. best year of my life (so far) 
2. having my family close by is an immeasurable gift
3. you will lose friends, gain plenty of new friends, and strengthen some of your existing friendships 
4. it's really helpful to have nurses and nurse mamma's within reach of a simple text or email
5. i despise sleepers with buttons and snaps
6. kitchen cornstarch works wonders to maintain skin integrity
7. the most economical places to buy Pampers are at Superstore and Walmart (16-18cents each)
8. all baby stuff is cute and appears necessary. consult blogs and reviews before buying (i used Amazon reviews a lot!)
9. videotape not just photograph your baby, there are just things that need to be captured in motion
10. change table covers just add to the laundry load. dont put a cover on it --> easier to clean and sanitize --> less laundry
11. baby finger nails grow really fast, theyre like talons. get a nail trimmer
12. if you have medium to long hair, a hair tie around your wrist is your new bling
13. have a velcro swaddler option. unless you absolutely know you're a pro-swaddler, in the dark while sleep deprived
14. plain warm water bath for babes is perfect
15. the more i read up online about baby behavior (ie. anything sleep related), the more confused i got about what to expect
16. grandma may be giving some unsolicited advice, but she only has the best intentions in mind
17. no parents have died from sleep deprivation. accept it, but also know it will get better
18. lanolin are your nipples' best friend 
19. always offer the breast  (i was exclusively breastfeeding)
20. i love midwife care, particularly post partum care
21. i cant live without a stroller or a baby carrier. invest in these products
22. you will fight with your husband
23. maternity leave goes by fast (even if Canadians have 50 weeks). it was the greatest test of my patience, but also the most rewarding time of my life
24. kids really get a kick out of kitchen utensils, pots and pans. fancy toys are not always necessary
25. if buying shoes, choose ones with the elastic element on the achilles part (think Robeez), there's no struggle to get them on their chubby feet 
26. when they say, 'it only takes a split second' this is absolutely TRUE. Don't leave your kids unattended
27. the toys (ie. remote) that you dont want to give the baby- they will constantly seek that object. but if you give them their own remote and do not inhibit them from playing with it, they could care less about it
28. finding your baby's tickle spots and hearing them laugh is the best all around sound
29. falling is part of learning, you can't baby proof the entire house
30. baby's relationship with dad is different than with you. dont get upset with dad if they're not doing something the way you do it
31. it is really hard to be a first time parent alone. if it seems like dad isnt doing much, see the bigger picture and picture life without ANY help (even a set of eyes so you can shower is a big deal)
32. baby wearing can instantly change a fussy baby's demeanour
33. i never knew i was so maternal until Max came along
34. you will develop arms of steel from carrying the baby around. who needs the gym?
35. you will become a multitasking pro with the use of one arm - baby on the left, cooking-putting on makeup- feeding the cat - tidying up the toys on the right
36. if you are like me and love predictability/order/schedules, you should accept that those rigid days are over! realize that life with baby will always be changing, embrace it
37. it is not easy to take contrived pictures of kids under 1 years old (re: Christmas card project). yet it looks so easy when pro-photographers do it!
38. buy or make your own baby book. i love looking back at pics and what i wrote when Max was ____ months old
39. strangers give up their seats on the bus when you're wearing a baby (surprisingly not always though when you are pregnant)
40. having a child is quite expensive! 
41. i avoid stores that play loud music (especially when baby is napping) and stores that make it impossible for strollers to move around freely. they have simply lost my business
42. the wheelchair accessibility in this city are limited and most of the time inconvenient (strollers essentially use the same path)
43. as a new mom, it is so important and valuable to have a support group of moms with kids of similar age (born same month) whether in real life or online
44. i loathe the Metrotown mall access from the sky trains! why do strollers and people with disabilities have to get wet and cross a busy intersection to access the mall?
45. i thought i was going to be a minimalist in the toy department, but no that didn't happen
46. i used to clean once a week, now it's about every 10-14 days or "whenever"
47. 'sleep training' is a sensitive topic in the parent world, it can stir up a lot of judgement. yet it is the most frequently asked topic
48. being a mom gives you bionic ears. I can hear  everything (i once was an amazing deep sleeper), things like ticking clocks, gurgling pipes, meowing cats, overly bright LED alarm clocks, creaking of the floors etc, wake me up or keep me up
49. i love it when Max gives me kisses without my asking. i think he loves me!
50. writing a blog helps vent some steam, spread the good word, and great for people interested in Max to see updates. one day Max can read this and look back!
51. we will do anything and everything for Max's happiness and well being
52. the mom and baby bond is so beautiful, it can't be put into words. unmatched, unconditional, unending. it's totally l-o-v-e