30 Things

Because I just turned 30, I’m going to run-down a list of 30 things I learned as a parent.


I have learned…


1. that the best way to take care of the baby inside me is to take care of myself.


2. that I have to take care myself to be able to take good care of the baby who’s already outside of me.


3. that I have the ability to make milk, change diapers or baby clothing and rock the baby while still half-asleep.


4. to smile while changing poopy diapers.


5. to say goodbye to 8-hour or more sleep, to be thankful and contented with a 6-hr sleep, and to survive through days with even less than 5-hour sleep.


6. that mushy left-over of the baby won’t make my stomach ache.


7. that spotting shards of glass on the floor can make you think “where’s my kid?”, “could he be hurt?” and a thousand other thoughts even when the baby is safely tucked in your arms. Panicky or forgetful? Maybe both.


8. that it only takes ONE kid to tear a house apart.


9. to pray more (and it’s not just because of #8).


10. to be a child once again. To play more, sing nursery songs more, eat baby food…


11. love what my kid loves. So if my kid loves Leelard the Lizard, then why can’t I?


12. to say I love you a hundred (or more) times a day. (This also implies repeating everything I say a hundred or more times. Wink! )


13. Kids are so imaginative. A squash is a ball, a calculator is a phone,

a fork is a screwdriver, etc.

14. to be imaginative too. That’s why I call medicines as “vitamins that make one well.” Wink.


15. to be constantly on a look-out for safe product alternatives to be used at home.


16. to get everything done – do the laundry, scrub the floor, prepare meals, wash the dishes and baby’s bottles, yaddi, yadda- in a jiffy (while the baby sleeps).


17. that it is possible to take “power baths” in less than 5 minutes.


18. to appreciate my parents –especially my mother more and more each day. (Pregnancy and childbirth are not easy.)

19. not to complain or laugh so hard when kid farts (he did while I was listing this!)


20. that it is awful to leave a crying child in tantrum alone, but it’s more awful if you had screamed and hurt him because you did not leave.


21. that lights are lifesavers, they have he power to stop baby’s tears.


22. that a kiss can make the pain “gone na” (disappear).


23. that the sweetest thing on earth is a child’s I love you.


24. that there is nothing more touching than his “Sowee.”


25. that at any given time, there is no more pleasant music than the laughter of a child.


26. that there is nothing more distressing to a parent than having a sick child.


27. that there is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing him cry.


28. that there is nothing more heartwarming than seeing him smile.

29. that a parent makes the bed, prepares the kids to bed, gets them to bed but sometimes never makes it to bed himself/herself.


30. that there is nothing more fulfilling and daunting than parenthood.


31. that sweat-soaked head can still smell sweet. (Sound like a tongue twister. Lol)


How about you, what have you discovered about parenthood?