I Swear My Belly Button Moved!

Ok, so apparently it's like "mom code" that you don't tell first time mom's what to expect, really about anything. It's funny because as soon as you announce your pregnancy, you are bombarded with unwanted advice and horror stories about anything and everything pertaining to your baby and your body. Really though, none of that is helpful and doesn't mean much in the end. In my own (ridiculously insane) experience, the things that matter are never related to you until after it happens and then all of these experienced mom's are like "oh yeah, that happens...sucks doesn't it"...thanks a lot!

Well I have decided that there are just a few things that need to be broken wide open. The most important being...YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME EVER AGAIN! I mean this in every sense of your being. Your body, mind and soul will forever be mutated into something completely different. Of course, this does not pertain to everyone, there are those freak women out there that bounce right back to their pre-baby body and others who really have no emotional connection to their children and therefore are not effected by what happens to them and go on as if they didn't just bring a new life into this world, but those are not the women I speak of.

I knew that I would gain weight going through a pregnancy and of course I knew I could lose it again(I am blessed with a high metabolism), however I did not anticipate that the shape of my body would change, but it certainly did! I've got more hips than I know what to do with and somehow, as a result of my c-section, my BELLY BUTTON MOVED! It has got to be at least half an inch higher than it was originally! I thought I was just crazy until I mentioned it to Matt and he said he noticed that too. Someone want to explain to me how that even happens and why no one told me it could?! I feel like I look completely awkward now, I wonder if there are belly button plastic surgeons out there that can do a belly button relocation for me? But I digress...

Of course I also did not realize how much I would change as a person. It is amazing how fully a child of your own can affect your life. Everyone tells you about how you will learn to multitask and sacrifice for your children, but no one really mentions that this tiny little person is all consuming of your heart and soul and therefore your whole outlook on life changes. Petty things like friend/family drama, what to do with the spare room, or when you'll get around to cleaning out the garage, seem so insignificant. It is all about the baby and making sure that he/she is happy and safe and healthy. Everything else easily takes a backseat to your child. I, of course, am perfectly happy with this and it is a huge comfort to me to know that Matt is as well. I feel very fortunate to have such a loving, wonderful husband, who is an incredibly involved Dad. Yay Matthew!

So though there are changes and things that I was unaware of (some more pleasant than others), as mothers, we take it all in stride, pretty much because we have no choice, but also because it is amazing!

PS Layla is now 10 months old (more on her recent milestones later) and has started the ear piercing, screaming for fun phase...After doing some research on the best way to handle it, I have decided to invest in a good pair of earplugs, the neighbors are SOL!!! :)