5 Months: What we've learned.

Five months ago Sunday (do I sound like a grandmother or what) we became parents. AP and I went to the hospital just the two of us (myself constituting a larger than normal portion of us at +52 pounds) and left the three of us. Through this wild ride of parenthood I'm learning more all of the time. Here are a few highlights ...

Never underestimate the value of preparation. It is preparation that kept me from loosing my mind at 4AM when I needed to find the next size diaper or else. Organize, and prepare -- keep necessary items close at hand. In our hose items include diapers, wipes, fingernail clippers/file, burp cloths, and pacifiers. We have those things on both floors of the house -- you don't want to run upstairs for a diaper sometimes, believe me.

Some baby stuff is cute (clothes, toys) and some of it is garishly ugly (giant swing, bouncy seat). No matter what you do those garish things were the ones that made life easier. The house will have baby stuff in it and I can't help it. I can contain it, but I can't avoid it and keep my sanity. It is okay.

When I am in a hurry the baby will slow me down. I have learned to like this. Sometimes I just have to take my time and make sure that tiny person is taken care of and I have to be totally present to do it right. When I try to rush that tiny person things will get all screwy. So, I just give in -- slow down and enjoy it.

I take her with me. This isn't like having a puppy. You can't take a puppy everywhere. People are quite accepting of a small child. In fact, babies bring a lot of joy to people. If I am ever in a dilemma, not knowing what to do with Cana during a commitment, I usually ask myself if I should bring her along. This has been made easy by my extremely flexible employer and community of loving friends.

Seeing other people love your kid is amazing. In fact, it is a clear picture of how our friends feel about us. If they tell us they are looking forward to seeing our kid it shows tremendous amounts of love. Friends who love your kid are the ones that you want in your life.

Planning anything with a baby takes a few extra steps, but it is best to start practicing doing things early. I went to the park, took a walk, took a trip to Target. Practice made every following outing much easier, and I tried to get out once a day even when she was tiny. Many friends have told me that also kept them sane in those first three months.

Sometimes I just feelt crazy, and had to give myself grace. I mean it -- CRAZY. From time to time I just had to stop and think "wow, that's not like me" and adjust accordingly.

Babies are fun. Before we got married people loved to tell us how hard marriage was, and no one said how much fun it is. Having a baby is the same way -- it is stinkin' fun, and I'll proclaim that from the rooftop all day long.

There are bazillions of variables to get your little baby to stop crying, and sometimes you need to try most of them to get something to work. Don't get frustrated when trying them. It is like a little mystery. I've also found that it helps to LET OTHER PEOPLE HOLD YOUR KID. Watch them. I have picked up some of my best baby calming techniques by watching other moms, dads, and grandmothers hold my kid. So pass them off and take notes.

Five months, and lots of fun. It is a different world. A really good different world.