[RebelBelle]

I'm sure that everything will go fine for your labor and your section. Just in case though I'm sending lots of prayers and good thoughts! Even if you scheduled a section, you could still go into labor the night before. Just be patient Mommy! LOL!

Jamie's my only baby but that doesn't mean I haven't helped raise plenty. I'm the oldest grandchild! Here are my tips:

1) Sleep when the baby sleeps. Do not stay awake thinking about how cute they are. Babies aren't nearly as cute when they are wide awake and you haven't had any sleep.

2) Take advantage of assistance offered! You don't have anything to prove to anybody and there will come a time where its just you and the baby. So let those willing people help while there are offers on the table.

3) Nothing will ever be perfect so don't obsess. Do the best you can and roll with the punches. Looking back one day things will look more perfect that you had even planned.

4) Babies are creatures of habit. If you can get them on a schedule then you are doing something right. At my mom's house we swear by suppertime, playtime, bathtime, bottle time, bedtime. Once a baby knows the sequence of events, its easier for them to ease into sleepy time. Even today I still have to take a shower every night before bed so that I can sleep. Two great assests to the process are Johnson's Bedtime Baby Wash for in the tub and and Johnson's baby oil for the after bath rub down. We rub the baby oil on the baby's head too. Not bragging but we all have GREAT hair and soft skin now. LOL!

5. Talk to your baby! The fastest way to develop language in a child is to talk to them. All the babies in our family start talking way ahead of schedule. My cousins baby London is 8 months now and understands and is working on "pattycake" without you holding her hands. She says Nana and very intentionally means she wants my mom (not just baby babble). She does the "gimme" motion with her fingers when she wants something and will give "highfives".


Most important of all... ENJOY it! They grow up way too fast. My first "baby" was my cousin Jennie. I was 10 when she was born and I thought she hung the moon. She has been my shadow ever since... bathtime, bedtime, birthday parties, you name it. My mom always says that raising Jennie was the easiest for her because I always wanted to do everything for her. On Saturday my first baby turned 15 and my mom and I are taking her to get her driving permit this week. When she was born I never would have imagined how fast that time could pass.


P.S. I'll post a picture when I get home.