I remember when I got pregnant I constantly heard, "This is going to change your life forever."  Little did I know that I would never understand this phrase until I had my children.  There are so many things that I wish I had known (or at least understood) before having children.

1. Babies eat nonstop.  Babies eat every 2-3 hours.
2. No matter how much I clean, my house will never be clean enough or even remain clean for a minute.  Having kids means owning more stuff.  Having kids means somehow food will find its way into the oddest places.
3. Taking a shower takes on a whole new meaning.  I have learned to wash my hair, body and shave in 5 minutes time it seems like.
4. It's amazing how much parents can function on such little sleep. Being a parent means never sleeping the same way again.  Becoming a light sleeper is almost imperative as children are always on the mind.
5. The day may have been long and hard making you wish it were over, but once it's over, you can't wait to spend time with your children again.
6. Wearing bodily fluid all day (that isn't your own) becomes a norm.
7. Most importantly though, something I would have never been able to know is how much love I truly have for all of my children.  There is definitely no greater love and bond between a parent and a child.

By Guest Blogger from Mommies with Cents

Congratulations! Your baby is now here and, unbeknownst to you, he or she is incredibly talented.

Yes, you thought you were getting a run-of-the-mill kid who pooped and drooled, bestowing the occasional smile in between. Nope, not you. You gave birth to the smartest baby on the planet because he/she exited the womb knowing how to tell time. A wonderful thing, right? WRONG!  Because you’re a teacher who works 8 to 5 and your little bundle of joy keeps the hours of a hard-partying rock star, with similar vocal ability and temperament. Welcome to the world of the 3am feeding.

Of all the difficult tasks when baby first comes home, managing the 3am feeding is the toughest of all.

And as you doubtlessly know by now, you can’t even set your clock for 3am – your baby’s hunger can come on anytime between the hours of “I-just-shut-my-eyes” to “surely-it’s-not-time-to-get-up-yet.”

I remember that nocturnal time like it was yesterday; truth be told, I never understood the term “bone-weary” until I had an infant. But now, being on the other side, let me offer a few tips to make the nighttime journey more palatable. Okay forget I said that, how about just bearable? Here’s a little Good Enough Mother advice to get you through these tough times…

SLEEP WHEN YOU CAN:  You know why people say that? Because fatigue is not your friend. It colors your mood and makes you feel old and look wrinkly. That’s not a good combination. So you have to grab a wink here and there, when and where you can. The dishes can wait! Who cares if the laundry doesn’t get done today? Hubby has no clean underwear?  Have him buy more. You had high hopes for a real home cooked meal (After 17 years, my husband is still waiting on that)? It ain’t gonna happen tonight! It’s not always going to be like this, but it is for the time being. This is like battlefield triage; you will stem the bleeding but it won’t be pretty.

BE PREPARED: Listen, I didn’t spend my entire childhood as a girl scout in troop 573 and not learn a thing or two. You gotta be prepared! Have a plan, and in this case (if you’re not nursing) it’s a bottle that’s good to go. Now my kids are a little older so I didn’t have the benefit of some of the cool things they have now, but having that bottle ready made life so much easier. 

ASK FOR HELP: Okay, there will be times where doing it all is going to earn you the undying love, support and admiration of the masses. This is not one of them. Trying to do so will result in extreme fatigue and you know what that does (see above). So when your mom or mother-in-law volunteers to take the baby for a couple of hours, take them up on it! This is not the time to be a hero and truth be told, even a baby who can tell time is not going to notice you’re gone for a few hours. This is a win-win; mom or mom-in-law gets their baby fix and you get the rapid eye sleep you’ve been deprived of since the second trimester. What’s not to love about that?

So those are my three tips – but what about you? What’s worked for you so far? I’d love to hear about your experiences…

Oh and one more thing. Remember this - it doesn’t last forever. It only feels like it does.

Good luck!

By Evenflo Savvy Parenting Expert Rene Syler, founder of Good Enough Mother

I heart Target. Doesn’t everyone? It’s such a beautiful, peaceful place, filled with aisle after aisle of ways to fuel my nasty shopping addiction. For me, Target is retail therapy at its best. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good old fashioned mall trip when I’m feeling the blues, but the mall is filled with things that don’t fit my post-two-baby-body, and that I can’t afford. Yes, I love to shop at Target. The only issue I have with the place is their lack of daycare. I mean really, wouldn’t that be a goldmine? Until that day arrives, I’m forced to enter my favorite place in the world with two whiney toddlers in tow. Ugh. My boys are, for the most part, well-behaved. But any well-behaved child can grow a couple horns and a tail when they are forced to be buckled into a cart and simply look at all the things they want to get their hands (and mouths) on. I think I would despise the place too. The trick to avoiding this fate is to make it an enjoyable experience for all.

• Give in to popcorn - It may seem over-indulgent to buy your kids a snack just so you can go shopping, but I’m here to tell you I’m not above it. You have to ask yourself which is worse: not being able to shop without a snack in your child’s hand, or have your children continually rebel against shopping trips. I made my choice. If you are shopping at Target or other superstore, you can easily find coupons on their website or even via smart phone which make popcorn and other snacks dirt cheap, so you don’t have to feel guilty about spending the money. It only took me one instance of my son dropping a half bag of popcorn ALL OVER the aisle for me to start bringing little bowls with handles. Now when they drop it, I can manage the clean-up by myself. And don’t forget drinks/sippy cups, it doesn’t make sense to pay for drinks too.
• Better yet, eat lunch there - A lot of grocery stores in our area have great food options, even if they are a bit pricey. Target’s food is affordable and many Walmarts have McDonalds or Subways. The trip becomes more like a fun event, rather than a chore. Once properly fed your child will be a lot less likely to melt down. Just make sure it isn’t near naptime!
• Do the work at home! - Don’t wander the aisles aimlessly trying to think of something else you need. Check the circulars from your Sunday paper, or online, so you already know what is on sale. Keep a good list, then stick to it while at the store. It keeps the cost down as well! Save browsing for times when you can escape your house without the kids.
• If you are an extreme couponer- wear a backpack - You will look silly, but it makes getting in and out of the store that much easier. You can also tote anything your kid will need as well.
• Bring a friend - Who says playdates have to be at a park, your home or even the mall?  Meet for lunch, then get some shopping done while catching up and letting your kids interact from cart to cart. You might get a little more talking done than shopping, but at least you can check the essentials off your list.
• Let them help - If your child is older, let them help with a few things on the list.

By guest blogger Joanna from the Bragging Mommy

I remember before having children how crazy my friends would get when their baby rolled over or ate cereal for the first time. I remember thinking just that; they were nuts. I mean it is all a part of growing up, right?! Well now I have my own two children and have gone crazy, I guess. I mean, my children are going to have such high self-esteem because of how crazy we get over the smallest things. After Ava rolled over for the first time, I clapped and cheered for her like a total idiot, and then I called everyone we knew and told them how amazing she was. I would have shouted it from the rooftop if I could have gotten on the roof. I was just overjoyed for her and so amazed at how she was growing and learning new things so quickly! It seemed like we were celebrating at least one or two milestones a week for a while. Babies turn into toddlers so fast. That first year seems to fly by and is full of growth and learning. It is so amazing to witness. From rolling over, to crawling, to taking those first steps and saying those precious first words, there are so many milestones to celebrate and so many different ways to celebrate. Honestly, our celebrations usually consist of a lot of clapping, cheering, hugging and high fives, but every once in a while we might throw in a special treat or outing. Here are just a few fun ideas for celebrating your baby’s milestones, to go along with all cheering and celebration.

• Rolling Over: When your baby starts rolling over go on a picnic. We live in the south, so most times of year we are able to picnic. Lay out a blanket, sit in the sun and enjoy watching your little one practice his or her new skill, while you spend some family time together.
• Half Birthdays: For a half birthday (yes, in our family this is a milestone every year) make cookies, chocolate chip ;)
• Walking: When your little one starts walking (sniff and cheer) head out to the park. Let your baby walk to their hearts content and enjoy every second of it.
• Potty Training: This is when Ava developed her love for all things M&M. Yes, we rewarded her for going potty on the big girl potty with M&M’s. We also had a big “pee-pee party” when she first started using the potty. Every time she would go we would celebrate with party hats, horns, balloons and even a potty song. It was fun for a day and she loved it.
• Any Milestone: Most milestones would be perfect with a sweet cupcake or ice cream outing. Head to your local bakery and get a sweet treat to share with your little one.Spending the night with Grama is a great milestone treat too. Ava loves her Grama so much. It is the perfect celebration for her to go spend time over at her Grama’s house, or even spend the night.

The most important thing to remember about your babies milestones is to take time to celebrate them. Bask in the moment. They really do grow up too fast. Cherish every single milestone and know that every little one develops at their own pace and develops in their own time.

By guest blogger from Real Moms Real Views

We all have them. They may not all be colorful, but they dwell in the corners of our homes. They make our husbands cringe at the thought of picking them up at the store solo. You guessed it –Tampons. We all know their intended purpose- but did you know, they can also help your child identify colors? A certain brand that shall remain nameless recently came out with BRIGHT, colorful tampon wrappers. And hey, before I weird you out too much, let me get you up to speed on my current living situation. Having moved from Texas to New York, we are now living in a hotel for 2 months, with 2 weeks to go. We came with only what fit in our van. I’m trying to get creative with toys here, people. The first time my 2-year-old came running out with the box of tampons and dumped them out on the couch, I started to say “No, no,” but then decided my energy level was too low to fight it. I’d just hide them better next time. That was until Harrison exclaimed “Geen!” (Green). Wow. How long had I been working on colors with him? Months? How many times had I asked, “What color is your shirt?” only to have him reply with an incorrect guess? And here he is, using the most random green thing in the whole hotel room as his triumphant moment of mastery over color identification. Well hello tampons, welcome to the toy room. They make their appearance from time to time, and whenever they do my son and I spend 15 minutes joyously naming off color after neon color. Wonderful! Now, I understand that some of you may be looking for a more traditional approach to teaching colors. I still love all those ways- crayons, books, clothes, street signs, while shopping... they are all great. Keep colors on your mind, and I promise your child will pick up on them before you know it.

Here are a few additional tips:

• Use their favorite things. For instance, my son is O.B.S.E.S.S. E. D. with matchbox cars. They have to come everywhere with us. He plays with them all day long. So, what better way to help him learn colors then with a few of his favorite things? When I go out shopping for new cars (because we all know they get lost ever so easily) I look for bright, colorful ones. Now Harrison makes sure to say “green car, red car, etc.”
• Pick colorful toys that serve multiple purposes. We have magnet letters on our fridge that are bright, primary colors, which I love because we can work on both at the same time. Bingo! Look for puzzles, books, flashcards, or toys that are going to kill two birds with one stone.
• Ask the question multiple ways. Instead of always saying “What color is this?” be sure to mix it up. “Which one is blue? Is this yellow or green? Can you bring me the red one? Can you find something orange?”
• Work on it. All the time. Before you know it, your child will be spouting them off everywhere you go.

At the end of the day, this is all just supposed to be fun. It is a way to bond with your child, as you get the satisfaction of teaching them something! Enjoy it, and your child will enjoy it too!

By Gust Blogger Joanna from The Bragging Mommy