Tell me how great babies are

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

I'm finally meeting this little guy this weekend:


They're worth it enough that I'm working on raising the second generation.

[papie]

Apr 19, 2016 11:09:57 GMT -5 tators said:

Apr 19, 2016 11:04:43 GMT -5 papie said:

What? Toddlerhood is the cutest part.  Except for the tantrums.  

how are we defining toddlerhood? I find the time when they have opinions and ideas and wants but can't express them to be really hard.

I don't find it that much easier once they can express them and argue with you, lol.

I guess toddlerhood is 1 to 3?

[renna]

I'm from a big family myself so babies have always been a part of my life. I love babies, kids, teens, and  people in general.

Our kid is 8 now and he is the best. We have never had a bad age with him. DH and I wish we could have had more kids but my ovaries seriously disappoint. My DH had never been around a baby for any length of time before DS but he is a born father, it came naturally for him.

There isn't a day our son doesn't bring us great joy and pride, not one day. I know we are lucky not to have health issues and other issues so I do get when people are worn and when life is hard with a baby or child.

I do love finding stuff like this around the house (this pic was from a few years back). I mean, it helps take the seriousness out of life. Daily joy. That's what I would say, even when DS was a baby there was always so much joy. Exhaustion, too, especially at first, but great unbeatable joy.

Godspeed, Bernadine, as you head closer to a birthday!

[mekia]

Apr 19, 2016 11:19:15 GMT -5 sallywalker said:

Apr 19, 2016 11:14:22 GMT -5 mekia said:

Wait until that very first smile. It'll make EVERYTHING worth it!

ETA: and watching them learn something new is so much fun. They're always learning! 

Oh yes! The newborn smiles! vimeo.com/163428687

vimeo.com/163428833

Awwww, I love this

[gretchenindisguise]

A cracks us up every day.

L leaves us notes and drawings on our bed at night.

It's pretty awesome.

[BaliHai]

Apr 19, 2016 11:24:34 GMT -5 renna said:

Daily joy. That's what I would say, even when DS was a baby there was always so much joy. Exhaustion, too, especially at first, but great unbeatable joy.

This is a perfect description. For as hard as it has been, is, will be, there is not a day that passes where I don't feel like L is the greatest joy of my life.

[liverandonions]

Because every tough moment is forgotten in these faces.

[sewf]

I made up a song when DS was little, called "I love Malcolm" (original, I know). M has started to sing it, but now he has started to change it to "I love mama" or "I love dada". So there's that.

Having a baby was the most difficult, aggrevating thing I have ever done. But it is also amazing and fun and so full of love that it makes up for the hard parts.

[ijack]

Babies are my favorite thing in the whole world. I LOVE babies and would have a million of them if I could. They're so sweet and squishy and smell so delicious.

[bittybomb]

I'm not a real big fan of kids generally, but I have 3 of my own and I adore them to goddamned pieces.

Like, I never knew how much and how wholey I could love someone until I had them, and I freaking love the shit out of my husband.

My heart sometimes feels like it could burst I love them so much.

They make me smile when they're not even trying when I'm having a rough time.  As babies, their smell was amazing.  My 4 year old would glue himself to me if he could, and though it can sometimes be annoying (like if I have to run to the bathroom), its so amazing.

No less than 20 times a day my husband and I comment on just how blessed and lucky we are to have each one of them.

Congrats!!!!!!  As hard as it can sometimes be, it is 20 million times more amazing.

[mesjms]

I babysit my grandson every day and he's a joy!

[CurlyQ284]

Apr 19, 2016 10:51:50 GMT -5 tators said:

If I didn't have to do toddlerhood I would have 10 babies. I love them. So cuddly and squishy and you just carry them around. They don't argue or talk back. It's amazing.

Seriously love babyhood.

+1
I love babies. DS wasn't too hard. He had to be held all the time for the first 3 months but he was so snuggly, how could I mind? Interrupted sleep was hard but I got used to it and DH and I alternated feedings.

DS is opinionated and independent, once he started walking and trying to talk but still unable to communicate he was really really hard.

I actually like 3 now that he can talk and I can reason with him, but a lot of people don't like that age either so maybe I'm a weirdo. But from about 15 months until 3, I was in the trenches lol.

[adhdfashion]

[Deleted]

I have literally created my own BFF. He was an awesome baby, and a hilarious toddler. 3 was rough, but at 4, he is amazing. He cracks me up on the regular, is so much fun to just hang out with AND he likes shoe shopping.

I hit the jackpot

[Deleted]

Oh and once they can talk they tell EVERYONE how awesome you are ( I'm sure this stops, but right now it's awesome) I mean I have my own little hype man, running around the room, telling everyone about how he has the BEST MOMMY and how his Mommy is SOOOOOO GREAT.


My lil Flava Flav. I'm gonna buy him a giant clock to wear around his neck.

[karmasabiotch]

Totally worth it. I would have had a dozen if I could. There are days that I wish I could duct tape him to a wall though. I would use a fun looking duct tape at least because kids are totally worth it. None of that boring silver stuff for my DS.

[starburst604]

I mean, the tush. All worth it.

[Deleted]

Babies can be hard, or they can be easy. Or they can be hard sometimes and easy most of the time. Or hard with one thing but easy with lots of other things.

We had a unicorn baby. He has always been super-easy, sleeps well, good temperament, etc. But he has his share of issues (lots of developmental delays, a cancer diagnosis, etc).

Is it worth it? There are SO MANY awesome things about Colin, and I'm really glad he is a part of our family. I would never give that up for anything. But we are seriously struggling with whether or not we want to have another.

[DotAndBuzz]

Apr 19, 2016 11:14:22 GMT -5 mekia said:

Wait until that very first smile. It'll make EVERYTHING worth it!

ETA: and watching them learn something new is so much fun. They're always learning! 

It should also be noted that I don't think it's a coincidence that they figure out how to smile on purpose right around the time when you are at the absolute END of your rope.  Right around that 6 week mark, when you're like



and you think you're never going to sleep again, and your hormones exacerbate every.little.thing?  Then they smile on purpose and you'll be like



and



And you decide you can hang in there a few more weeks.  It really does get better after the 6 week mark.  Let everything else go, and trust that things will start to settle in by about 2 months.  Also know that if you're not overwhelmed by this mind blowing love from moment one, that's ok.  It can take some time.  It doesn't mean you wouldn't fuck someone up if they tried to hurt your baby, but you're not broken if you are kind of like "I love you Baby, but I'm not sure what to do with you, and for now I'm just trying not to screw things up, and as much as I like snuggling you and your baby smell, you need to be held by someone else for a little bit."

That crazy in-love part will come, and it's way easier to find when they sleep for more than 2 hours at a time.   

[junebug]

Babies are great!

They are also scary, difficult, needy, exhausting and make you feel like a lunatic most of the time. 

But, after a particularly hard day, they snuggle up on your chest and sleep, or smile up at you, and it is all worth it. 

[sallywalker]

Apr 19, 2016 12:29:20 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

Yeah, the day to day can be hard. But they bring so much joy! Seriously, no question that they are worth it.

The beginning is rough because they need you 24/7 but it's not always easy to know exactly WHAT  they need, and they don't give a whole lot back. It gets more rewarding when they start smiling. Then you'll do anything to get them to flash you that gummy baby smile. 

Also people love to talk up how rough newborns are. People told me I would never sleep again, and that certainly hasn't been the case. lol. Take it all with a grain of salt.

Agreed. It definitely depends on the child. For us, the newborn stage is easy! It's when they get mobile that it gets difficult.

[DotAndBuzz]

Also?

This thread is another reason why it's good h had the V. Because I see baby pictures, and think back with such fond memories, even though I know how hard it was, and it makes me want another. Not just like "oh, I love babies, I want another."

Like, it makes me actually want another one, would absolutely act on it if given the chance, and could totally see myself doing it again, especially now that the the kids are older and much more independent.

Like I said, there's a reason H and I both agreed he should get the V.

[lovelovelove]

Babyhood was difficult in our house; dd had health issues, I had ppd/ppa, and h had a drinking problem, on top of the sleep deprived, new parent stress.

My kid is amazing (she's 3), even when she sucks, and she routinely tells me I'm her bff.

Even given allll that, my heart breaks that she isn't a baby anymore. I miss it so much and can barely remember what she was like except when I get flashes of her little smile or the feel of a tiny snuggle.

It's tough, like others have said in the day to day, but oddly also awesome at the same time. You'll be great and will love you kiddo and new life, even if sometimes it sucks, I promise!

[karenj]

oh my they are so awesome.  I love their little hands and feet.  I love holding them when they sleep.  It is so fun to watch them learn new things.  I loved every stage.  I loved seeing their excitement when I came to pick them up from daycare.  Watching them take those first steps, say their first words.  Learn to reason things out.  Have my girls was an amazing blessing (I did not give birth to them but they were quite young when they came to live with us).  


Hard, teenagers are hard.  Thank goodness I can reflect on when they still liked me. LOL

[cuddlyevil]

I forgot how much I love hearing a baby laugh until I held one for an hour straight last Sunday. He smiled and laughed at me, it was awesome.

[Cricket0619]

It's very hard but so worth it. They smell so good, the cuddle, squeak and coo I love it when they sleep on your chest and they are in a little ball and seeing them lay like that on your H is heartmelting.

[sequins]

I never really heard about the good things of being a mom, so I'm surprised every single day about how happy I am to be one. I go to bed with a smile every night. It's the best!

[sapphireblue]

Well, I lucked out and got an incredibly easy baby. Crazy easy!

However, even when the baby is not as easy, overall, it is so worth it. Just hugging my son to me and smelling his hair makes me feel like all is right in the world.

When I walk into the room in the morning and his whole face just lights up, every time, it is the best moment ever.

You can do this!

[sapphireblue]

Apr 19, 2016 12:58:54 GMT -5 sequins said:

I never really heard about the good things of being a mom, so I'm surprised every single day about how happy I am to be one. I go to bed with a smile every night. It's the best!

This is a lovely way to say it and I totally agree.

It was a hard road for us, eventually we got pregnant by IVF and a donor egg. Best thing I ever did!

We have three frozen embryos and I'm about to go back and try again.

[sparkythelawyer]

Apr 19, 2016 10:48:17 GMT -5 @randomcdn said:

They're snugly. and as hey grow they think the simplest things are fascinating.

And then they say "I luf you" and your heart melts.

Oh! And open mouthed slobbery kisses are the best.

and they think you're the best. Always.




Honestly the hard part is you're tired. And most of us when tired get cranky. Give you and your husband permission to say "I'm not mad at you, I'm exhausted, you're exhausted and this sucks"

That really helps. And it was how we stopped fights that we knew were stupid but neither of us could drop.

My little one JUST started doing this this week.  It is awesome :-)