Amateur Parenthood 101

How you know you've started Intro to Parenthood:

- You've been hit my projectile poop at least twice; your baby decided to empty her bowels mid-diaper change; and she has soaked through her clothes, blanket, and onto the sheet at least once
- You want to ball up into the fetal position every time your baby latches on to feed
- You feel eternal gratitude for 2 hours of straight sleep time
- You have no sense of a schedule except for when people come by for dinner and you realize what time it is
- You take snacks to bed
- You do laundry multiple times a day, every day
- You become very selective with free time: give up Facebook for reading about healthy sleep habits; give up blog stalking for reading about breastfeeding; take advantage of the "new mom" excuse for not responding to texts, e-mails, or phone calls

But the previous are all just bonuses to the best parts of the class:
- You continue to wonder in amazement how you ever got to be a parent to the most beautiful, sweetest, baby girl on the planet.
- You stare at her and kiss her when you feed her, when you change her, and when she's sleeping with an overwhelming sense of unconditional love that you've never felt before.
- You don't stop praying for her success, for her to thrive, and for her to be safe, healthy, and happy.
- Nothing brings you greater joy than to be with your newborn child and husband. Just simply being in the same room together makes your heart grow 432,890 times bigger.

I can only imagine what Parenthood 201 brings.

Honestly, how could this not melt your heart? Introducing baby Corinne (pron. koh-RIN), at 4 days old, for your viewing pleasure, thanks to my dear friend Tara: