Comments on: “Your lives are going to change” and other colossal understatements about parenting

By: Dan Erickson

Dan Erickson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:03:24 +0000

Enjoy it all! I’ve been a parent 11 years so far and it keeps getting better. She’s going to smile at you (for real, not just pooping), and then she’ll laugh, talk, walk, read. She’s going to figure out how to say she loves you in her own way. You have a lot to look forward to.

By: Christian

Christian — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:12:26 +0000

Rian, Thanks for reminding me what it was like back then. You’ve captured it so well, and there’s nothing better than this odd mix of exhaustion and elation.

One tip: enjoy the Diaper Genie II and don’t think too much about what it’s doing in the landfill.

By: WeaselMomma

WeaselMomma — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:46 +0000

She is beautiful! Congrats! And not to add more anxiety to you life, but newborn diapers are a walk in a garden. Wait until solid foods (well actually baby foods, but they are called solids -God only know why) are introduced to her diet or God forbid, TABLE FOOD! Woo-wee! Enjoy her and love her and even when things get nastier t clean up, you still wouldn’t want it any different. Except that you will dream of her being potty trained.

By: BellaDaddy

BellaDaddy — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:47:47 +0000

Ah, but consider this…you both will be experts, handing out your own brand of advice soon! Welcome to Parenthood!

Kudos!

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:15:27 +0000

Ha ha ha ha ha! Ohhhh Rian – I loved reading this!! Yes the first night is always crazy and yes, when they let you leave the hospital you wonder what they smoked that morning?!!! And yes, that ball of emotions pretty much stays the same…. the feelings of unbelievable joy and helplessness all at the same time! I hate to say it, but from what I hear, that sticks around for a long time. That is why people say their kids drive them insane (aka: the feelings of helplessness because now YOU are reponsible for decisipling a little person into a reasonable functioning big person) and yet you wouldn’t want it in other way (aka: its all worth it!). We are so excited for you guys! Welcome to the adventurous ride of parenting! Speaking of nappies….. the smell is now permated into every corner of myhouse! Time to change 2 of them! And yes, you too will chuck out that Diaper Geinie when you wean from milk to solids!! Whew! Keep the blogs coming!

By: Annie

Annie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:56:51 +0000

Don’t feel bad – I have three kids and I have no idea what a “hooter hider” is.

I agree with you that people always sound so ominous and sometimes negative when you announce a pregnancy. You even left out the “birthing horror story” phase, where every woman who’s ever given birth has to share their birthing horror story… to make you feel better about giving birth?

By: Pippa

Pippa — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:21:48 +0000

Hate to break this to you, but nappies don’t smell that bad until you wean them. Keep the guarentee on that diaper genie handy until then

Also don’t worry too much about the breathing – I used to lie there awake at night listening to Ruth breathing and worrying myself sick, she sounded like a cross between a velociraptor and a steam train, then she would hyperventilate for a bit, then stop breathing for 10 seconds. Every time I took her to the doctors (sometimes with a video as evidence), they would just tell me that it was all completely normal. And talking to other mums, it seems that it is. I regard that as the single biggest omission of anti-natal teachings.

Anyway very impressed that you are still managing to blog – keep it up

Pippa x

By: sume

sume — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:22:25 +0000

so mooi opgesom…en ja…jy wil dit nie anders he nie…nooit weer nie….