I vacuum almost every single day because I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and you never realize how hairy your pets are until you have a tiny baby crawling on the floor and you think “OH MY GAWD my baby is rolling in all this animal fur!!”.

We have a general understanding of who does what chores.

It is SO HARD in the beginning with a newborn. But if you work on a routine before baby comes, it’ll be easier. AND, yes you have to double check the husband’s stuff, if it’s important like feeding the animals, locking the doors, etc.

And if at all possible, have food prepared and frozen before baby comes (especially since you don’t have family close-by).

But, I’ve learned to live with non-uniform folded towels. And to appreciate that at least he gets them to the bathrooms instead of leaving them in the dryer.

Though totally foreign to me, my daughter manages because she has a schedule, a routine, and a ritual. I am always amazed that she can go through a 2 minute ritual and get my 2 year old granddaughter down for a nap with NO FUSS AT ALL! Even more amazingly, it works when I follow the ritual too.

It took a lot of time, adjustments, and perseverance to get to the point they are at now, but it still blows my mind as a plan and a schedule are quite foreign to me.

Also, my daughter and son-in-law both are a bit OCD – one’s a mathematician, the other an engineer. So, in a way I think my granddaughter enjoys that I let her play in the mud naked and taste grass. Don’t tell her mom.

Oh, and your poop experiences are just beginning. That wonderful granddaughter was seriously angry with me when I made her come inside when the sun got high (she’s in Pheonix, so you understand) and while I was preparing her lunch, she was busy emptying her diaper pail. One of those a kid’s not supposed to be able to get into… never underestimate a kid.)

You and N are in for the ride of your lives! It will be fun and worth it, I promise.

Donna B.s last blog post..Too Big Too Pass