New Mom Care Package

Recently a good college girlfriend of mine welcomed her second baby boy. Reality check: we're old - our friends are now having children (as in multiple people).

During those first blissful, blurry days of parenthood, we welcomed casseroles, newborn clothes, diapers and the occasional bottle of wine from loved ones. Needed baby items and gifts to make our life easier.

My favorite gift, hands down, was a button-down dress, a size larger than I would typically wear. I could nurse and wear it comfortably. There was something exhilarating about pulling off a new price tag. I was months away from my old wardrobe and was happy to pack away the maternity clothes. That said, from the looks of my friend's 39-week baby bump pic, it looked like she gained the recommended amount of weight and she'll be back in her jeans (or wide-leg blue pants) in no time.

So, my friends and I decided to put together a little care package for her, her new little baby - and of course, something fun for big brother. There are plenty of thoughtful new baby gifts, but this little assortment was fun to assemble:

From the top:

Magazines: Parenting and a Real Simple - quick reads for that precious time between naps
Tea: Caffeine-free and tasty
Baby Outfit: Even the second boy deserves something new (teeny, tiny cargo pocketed pants not shown). Also, I'll go on record and say that I gift clothes size 3 months and up. It's hard to resist the tininess of newborn clothes but, they are good for a hot second - and newbies look irresistible in onesies.
Stickers: For the big brother (Honk. I guess the milk truck only gets to honk once, unlike his fun transportation friends).
Board Book: At some point, he'll be interested.
Nail Polish: I may or may not have bought this shade for myself - it's perfect for spring! She'll use this during her hours of down time.
Snacks: Good for diaper bags and general snacking - as snacks are good for snacking. 

What are your favorite new baby/parent gifts to give or receive?

Favorite Moment During the First Week of Motherhood

At some point during pregnancy, I think most moms experience an odd pregnancy cliche that is annoying in and of itself because it's such a painfully lame cliche. 

Examples: 

• Strangers touching your belly. 
• People asking about cravings. 
• People predicting how you will feel during XX week of pregnancy or labor. 

That last little stinging bullet-point drove me crazy. 

I always wanted to fire off a sharp response to the tune of "Really? Do you know that I'm going to take the epidural? Get stretch marks, hate the last trimester, get heartburn and have a hard time with nursing?" And my favorite "Oh, it's going to be a girl/boy. You're carrying so low/high." 

Maybe pregnancy hormones played some factor because a lot of these predictions ended up to be accurate. 

The next story comes from a mom who kept her predictions to herself during my pregnancy and would only share her personal experiences when asked to give guidance. Thank goodness, because this little tale would not have gone over well for me while pregnant: 

"I don't really remember too much from that time, but I do remember one thing from the hospital. I remember the most wonderful nurse's shift was up and this 20-something nurse took over for her. She told me to roll over so she could check to see how everything looked. (Really?). She said "Do you know you have a hemorrhoid the size of a golf ball on your bottom?" Yes, she used the word 'bottom.'

Yes, thank you! (You’ll get yours one day)

I have to say one thing though, the hemorrhoid was worth it."

Ahh, the joys of motherhood. If you missed the other Favorite Moments During the First Week of Motherhood posts, here they are again, all together, like a big happy family: 

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Welcoming Number Two
• My Favorite Momement

My Favorite Moment During the First Week of Motherhood

This morning I let out a sigh of relief as I closed the door behind me. Ingrid was completely unreasonable and insane. Little frustrations were big, fit-throwing ordeals. She didn't want anything to do with eggs, books or heaven forbid, listening to her parents.

Mornings like these are painful. They are painful because I'm happy to leave. That happiness creates guilt. And who wants a side of guilt with breakfast?

Tonight was a different story. Ingrid was joy on the drive home; saying her goodbyes to everyone at daycare and pointing out the moon. She helped cook dinner (aka, ate a healthy amount of shredded cheese). After a failed attempt to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas, we flipped over to Despicable Me (pretty enjoyable).

As I was putting on her jammies, Ingrid quickly kicked her legs in unison, twice.

This made me pause because while pregnant, Ingrid would do this frequently - to my ribs - and it drove me nuts. It would happen when driving or sleeping. A little kick-kick. A little reminder that - yes, you're pregnant.

At the end of the day (or maybe, in hindsight) I enjoyed being pregnant. My labor on the other hand, was long and dramatic. One aspect of my labor that I still look back on with sadness is that I didn't get to experience the joy of seeing Ingrid right away. I saw her for the first time when I woke up from surgery. I was in pain and yelling things that no infant should hear. Across the small, sterile room, I saw a grinning Dan, holding a little bundle saying "It's a girl! It's a girl!" Wide-eyed little Ingrid was observing the entire scene. I was in awe over this little person and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment.

Later as Dan changed her miniature diaper, she gave her legs a little kick-kick and that's when I fell in love. A powerful, intimate love that's so much realer than I could have ever imagined.

I loved her when I saw her, but with those little kick-kick legs, I knew little baby Ingrid as my own.

There were so many wonderful moments during that first week with Ingrid. The nerve-wracking ride home from the hospital. The first night at home felt foreign compared to the hospital. Quite moments napping in the recliner. But whenever she broke free of her blanket and wiggled out of the swaddle - those little kick-kick legs brought a smile to my tired face. Those kicks reminded me that even though I didn't know anything about newborns, I knew her - and that would always be enough.

Favorite Moments During the First Week of Motherhood: Welcoming Number Two

Last night, I was watching Keeping up with the Kardashians (stay with me here...) and Kris Jenner said something like "Having one is like having one, two is like having twenty." 

I often marvel at families with more than one child. How do they get out of the house? Just thinking of the nap coordination, multiple diapers and snacks is nuts. That mom (and dad) is a superstar.

Sheepishly, I always wondered about loving two children. It might sound dumb, but it's hard to imagine there is enough room in my heart to love another child. This story helped to remind me that of course we have enough love to give because, we are superstars:

To say that the birth of my first child was a surprise is a bit of an understatement. My unique situation of having little time to prepare and adjust to the idea of having a baby, combined with the fact that the magical day was over three years ago, leaves me with a foggy memory of the experience. I know that I was terrified. I know that I was emotional. I am positive he was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. And I clearly remember feeling a love that I had never in my life felt, or thought possible. The weeks that followed that day were full of tears, confusion and challenges. They were also filled with a new purpose and meaning to my life that brought me happiness I never thought possible.


Eight months ago, I gave birth to my second child. Her arrival was planned, awaited and calm. I was not scared. I was not worried. And even though I knew how special the day would be, she still took my breath away the moment I met her. This time I knew how quickly those first few weeks pass, so I made an effort to enjoy each and every day. I reveled in the awe of how different her personality was from her brother’s, and could not get over how alike they looked. Yes I was exhausted. Yes I would cry for no reason at the drop of a hat, but I was able to look at my son and remind myself that it was all temporary. I would sleep again. I would lose the weight (well, most of it), and I would rejoin society at some point. I also knew that the challenges would be different, if not more difficult, in the coming years.

So to answer your question- what was my favorite moment during the first week of motherhood? 1.) The experience of immediate, unconditional love. The kind of love I had read or heard about, but didn’t believe existed. And 2.) The instinctive strength and patience that apparently lived inside of the selfish being I had been for 26 years.

Both of these things still amaze me every single day.