top 10 things i have learned about being a mom

ok so i thought it would be kinda fun to write a post about a few things i have learned over the past 10 months or so....and i know this list will continue to grow as she gets older and older....sigh...she is growing WAAAYYY too fast!!

1) I have learned that a happy child is way more important than a clean house. There will always be time to clean, but eventually my baby will grow up and not want to play with mommy anymore. So i have been trying to enjoy the little things ... like making animal noises, reading books in funny voices, and dancing and jumping to music in the living room.

2) next up i have learned it is important not to neglect your partner in crime....he has needs and wants to feel loved just as much as the kiddo. After our little peanut goes to bed josh and i enjoy cuddling on the couch and watching netflix...it may seem really simple, but it helps me relate to my hubby. I look forward to it everyday!

3) I have gained more love than i have ever thought possible! Who would have thought a chubby, short, nearly bald tiny person could cause me to love on levels i never knew existed. I remember hearing parents say they now have a small glimpse of what kind of love God has for us....wow how true that is.

4) Patience has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Before baby i thought patience was waiting for hubby to get done using the bathroom, or waiting for the internet to load facebook (lol..wow i know). Now patience is saying no literally hundreds of times and pulling Livie away from power cords, remotes, outlets, and my cell phone.

5) I have learned nothing can brighten my day more than a smile and a giggle! I may be slightly biased but my daughter has the most amazing smile in the entire universe. She is almost always happy and knows the best faces to pick up any of my days.

6) on a lighter note.... i have learned how to change a diaper in under 10 seconds, as that is usually all the time alivia will give me. After 10 seconds it is anyones game, as she begins to roll over and crawl away, she is much to busy to just sit there.

7) I have learned to get any stain out of any article of clothing. I am really proud of this new skill...I can now say with confidence if there is a stain it is no match for me. Carrots, peas and blueberries shudder at the thought of me *insert crazy laughter here* lol.

8) Taking tons and tons of pictures has become so important to me. As i watch Alivia grow up more and more everyday i am learning it is important to preserve these special days with photos and journaling. One day she may come to me and ask a question about her as a baby and i want to be able to show her scrapbook layouts and journalling i have lovingly put together for her.

9) As i watch Livie grow and try new things....she has taught me to never give up. I remember watching her try to stand, she would pull herself up to the couch stand for less than a second and fall to the floor butt first, stare wide eyed at me then reach her chubby little arm out towards the couch to try it all over again. I think many of us can learn a thing or two from Liv.

10) Finally i have learned being a parent is the hardest most rewarding job on the face of the planet. I read a quote that made me giggle it was the definition of a mother..."one woman who does the work of twenty for free." lol this is really true...when my head hits the pillow i may be exhausted and covered in slobber, carrots and cracker crumbs but nothing can change the love i have for my daughter, and how blessed i am to be her mommy!