Advise for Taryn

I have a niece who's going to be having a baby in the next two months.

You know sometimes they come early (as in all of mine)

or sometimes they come 9 days late, like this little one.

Anyway, I feel it my duty as her favorite aunt,

to give her some advise;

since I have raised four girls I

figured I should be able to do a halfway decent job of it.

They don't stay little long.

Enjoy each day to the fullest.

Forget about having a perfect house,

six course meals, and it's not a sin to get

clean socks out of the dryer or the laundry basket.

Cut corners here and there to have more time with your little one.

Sure they lay around and coo and cry for

a couple months, but by the time

they reach 6 months you've got your hands full.

The look of innocense.

Not!

Get used to doing things one handed,

because with a little one like this on your

hip you won't be able to do anything near your

body (like carry a plate) because they

develop fast hands and want to touch everything.

One day she'll be just a newborn laying around

on the boppy and the next day

Viola!

she'll be standing up to furniture unassisted.

How do I know this?

We'll my memory may not be the best from when

my four girls were little, but

I have been a Grandma four times in the past year.

Don't believe all those books that say standing up to furniture

is a 9 month old skill.  Be prepared early! 

Some babies decide to fast track it and be overachievers.

Five month old babies are not suppose to be able to do this.

(Someone forgot to tell Henry)

If anyone offers to help (like a favorite aunt) take them up on it.

You can never have to much help

and you can't spoil an infant.

Snuggle all you want,

rock away the hours

and Share, because

Sharing Time is a Happy Time.