Some things about babies can't be learned from books

Since returning from the hospital where my first child was delivered by cesarean section two weeks ago, I have learned so much -- mainly that I really knew nothing before having a child. I thought I had a pretty good grip on life, but it's amazing how a hundred pounds of fury in a six-pound body frame will prove you wrong!

My first couple of days home it took everything in me just to function as a new mom learning to breastfeed and change diapers (I had only changed about five diapers in my life prior to taking Dani Rae home from the hospital). And now, two weeks out, in addition to being a professional diaper changer and baby feeder, I have also learned many important things about motherhood that no book or person could teach me beforehand.

First, I learned to never carry a baby around when it's not wearing a diaper. My wonderfully supportive husband Jack and I gave Dani her first real bath last week and while Jack got the baby bath situated and the water to the "happy baby" temperature, I undressed our baby girl. Unfortunately, I was too fast. As I held Dani Rae in her beautiful, soft white blanket, waiting for Jack, I learned the lesson the hard way. What would have been dirty diaper number 20 of the day became dirty Sadie and dirty white blanket, shirt, pants and floor.

I have also learned not to change a diaper just before feeding time, which typically coincides with dirty diaper time.

I have learned the importance of receiving blankets, which I use for everything swaddlers to a burp cloths to covers for our changing table. It seems like I've already washed 100 loads of receiving blankets. Again, every time I take a diaper off and lay her on the changing table it seems like she thinks it will be funny to tinkle all over me, herself and the blanket.

I have learned why all the veteran mothers out there told me to stock up on gas drops. Babies have sensitive bellies and as much as I have learned to appreciate gas drops I have learned to appreciate my new standard attire of old sweatshirts at which my baby spews interesting things at every hour on the hour.

I could probably quit my day job and write a book titled "101 things you DON'T NEED for a newborn." Of all the hours, days and weeks I spent stressing about getting my nursery ready and making sure I had all of the so-called essentials, I now know that all I really need is a bunch of onesies, swaddlers, diapers, a suit for traveling in the car in cold weather, a hat or two, gas drops, a vibrating chair, a pacifier (perhaps the best invention ever) and me. Bows and socks are really cute, but at this point I haven't figured out how to keep them on my feisty baby. Most of the stuff in the nursery is simply for decoration at this point.

I have learned to appreciate a quick shower. Before, I would consider this quick shower to be nothing more than a quick shower, but now, a five-minute shower before baby rises in the morning means I will actually get to take a hot, refreshing, marvelous shower. The feeling is one that's equivalent to how it used to feel when I'd be going to the spa for the day.

My overall sense of appreciation for the simple things in life has increased tenfold. I appreciate a five-minute shoulder rub from my husband, two hours of sleep, a five-minute snuggle with my former only child (Lizzie, the jealous and now depressed shih-tzu). I appreciate the convenience of fast food restaurants, places I despised before having a baby. I even appreciate grocery shopping and house chores. Of course, I haven't figured out how to do chores and stare, mesmerized, into my baby's eyes at the same time, but in time, I'm hoping to learn how to better manage my time.

I appreciate my friends who've checked in on me daily to make sure my hormones haven't caused me to jump off the bridge at Fisherman's Park. In all seriousness, I feared not having family nearby to help and support us following the birth, but my great friends have really stepped up to the plate to offer their support and I can't thank them enough.

With all that said, I guess the most important thing I've learned in my two week tenure as new mom is to appreciate time ... time in which I'll enjoy the simple things in life that come between feedings and diaper changes, and time in which I'll enjoy all of the future unknowns and welcomed interruptions brought to me by little miss Dani Rae (who happens to be interrupting me right now).