Letter to Myself

Inspired by Melissa at DearBabyBlog, I've created a list of what my now (older and wiser) self would tell my then (very pregnant) self.

Dear Then-Self,

Stop stressing about labor.  Labor is the first ten feet.  Life with your child is the rest of the marathon.

Cut yourself some slack.  No really.  Cut yourself some slack.  Ten years of working with kids is not equivalent to having a kid and you shouldn't expect yourself to know it all or do it all.  Or to be happy about it all.

Stop comparing yourself to other people.  Sure they may be thrilled with their new bundle of joy, but it's okay if you feel anxious and slightly terrified.  It's even okay if, in the middle of the night, you whisper to yourself "dear God, what have I done?"

This too shall pass.  Just when you thing you can't live another hour, another minute, another second with whatever the latest issue is, your baby will change and the problem will completely disappear.  And then a new one will come along.  With time, that one will pass too.

Don't worry.  I'm pretty sure you can't screw your child up in the first week.

Go out now!  Go to dinner.  Go to the movies.  Go on a trip.  Stay up all night.  Sleep in all morning.  Read a book for hours.  Catch up with all your friends.  Snuggle with your significant other.  Revel in the amount of "me" time that you have.

Be amazed.  You will be able to do things that you never thought possible.  Create a life.  Sustain a life.  Find joy in baby burps and bowel movements.  And you'll do it all while operating on four hours of interrupted sleep.

Love,
Now-Self

P.S. Good luck (you're going to need it!)