Words for new mommy's

I am sitting her going through pictures of Cara and crying! Where has the time gone? When did she become a toddler? It is absolutely amazing how much infants change in a year. Not only physically but mentally. They go from being completely helpless and needing us to tend to their every need and even hold their heads up for them, to walking, running, and talking in a years time...

Everyone always says that the love for your child is different than any other kind of love. Everyone is soooo right! I never thought I could love someone as much as I do Cara, I would literally do anything, if it meant she was safe.

If I can give any advice to new parents out there, it would be this....

1.) Cuddle cuddle cuddle with your little one, but also remember that we need to teach them that we can not pick them up every second of the day.

2.) A schedule is the best way to go, with a newborn and even a toddler, your schedule will vary a bit from day to day as far as time goes, but try to stick to the same thing everyday as best as possible. (i.e. for bedtime do bottle or breast, bath, books, bed) I have found that when Cara was young I fed her her last meal of the day before her bath and it helped tremendously getting her to fall asleep on her own.

3.) IT WILL NOT GET EASIER WHEN THEY ARE OLDER!!! Now, what I mean by this.... When Cara was an infant I didn't go out to eat much, or have a babysitter much because I always thought in the back of my mind that it would be easier to take her out when she is older. Boy, was I wrong. When they are newborns they sleep... yeah, you may have to feed them once in the restaurant or go to the bathroom if breastfeeding, but then they go right back to sleep. NOW, OMG I can't keep her still. She wants to run around the restaurant and go say Hi to everyone and play. While everyone else thinks its adorable that a little 1 year old is walking up and saying hi while they are eating... I am still starving! lol

4.) Don't stress over what they say in the books. I was an avid book reader when I found out I was pregnant. I was reading everything "No cry sleep solution" Baby Whisperer", "What to Expect When You're Expecting" Every book said something different and I was going crazy trying to implement things from the book. I finally had to stop reading. Every single baby is different and something that may have worked for Cara and I will not work for you and your baby. Do read and educate yourself about what to expect and how baby's should be developing and what they need, but take that information from each book and turn into something that will work for you and your baby!

5.) Take Pictures!!!!!! I can't take credit for this idea, not sure where I got it from. I took a picture of Cara every month in the same chair with the same stuffed animals around her. It was a fun thing that I looked forward to every month, and comparing the pictures was so fun. I put them in the last part of her first year scrapbook and displayed it at her birthday! It was a HUGE hit.

Cara at 1 month, 2months, 6 months and 1 year