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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

One Year Down

Well, we've done it. This coming Friday, Puff and I will have survived our entire first year of parenthood. It was pretty crazy. The first few months were so exhausting, I don't even remember coming up for air. But we've gotten into the swing of things... we know what we're doing, in general. And Bimmer has made it through unscathed. Even if she has fallen off the bed and bonked her head a time or four.
 
 
 
I like to think we didn't always act like first time parents. For whatever reason, that was a big deal to me. I didn't want to be the over-reactors or the uber-protective parents. Of course, we want to keep Bimmer happy and healthy and safe. But at the same time, we do things that I know a lot of first-timers wouldn't... like letting her crawl around in the bathtub or not freaking out if she licks the bottom of a shoe. Or the toilet. As long as she's not chewing on cords or drinking bleach, right?
 
 
 
 
Bimmer has been a lesson in patience for Puff. She has been a lesson in time management for me. But she has been an absolute joy. Whenever we question if we should try for a second one, Puff always wonders if the next one would be as awesome as Bimmer has been. We're pretty sure we made the most perfect baby in the world and aren't sure we could knock it out of the park a second time or not. That, however, is another story for another day.
 
I have a "May Faves" post coming next week, but I do want to share a few of my "Year One of Motherhood Faves" too. These were the top 3 things that I could not have done without...
 
#1 - Bumbo
 
 
 
I know they've been recalled, but we have used this thing to death. We got it as a hand-me-down when Bimmer was only 7 weeks old and we still use it. Yes, even up until her first birthday. We keep it on the counter (don't worry, we're never more than a few feet away) and it's our go-to spot for keeping Bimmer wrangled. It's just so convenient to be able to sit her there while we make her bottle or get her bag ready for school in the morning. Her chunky thighs are almost too big for it now and sometimes she sticks to it when we get her out. But, hands down, the best baby gadget ever!
 
#2 - Baby Oxiclean
 
 
 
My best friend recommended this as a "must have" when I got pregnant and she wasn't kidding. I have been able to salvage many pooped on onesies and food covered shirts with this stuff. It's like magic in a bottle! I know they make non-baby versions, but our grocery doesn't carry them in a spray, which is the easiest for me. So we always stock up when we hit up Babies R Us. I will admit that it was no good in getting out stains from orange yogurt bites or Goldfish crackers, but Puff did discover the Tide sticks works on Goldfish stains. But other than that, it has been a lifesaver. Or rather, a wallet saver because it was a clothes saver!
 
#3 - Date Blocks
 
 
 
I hope you have come to love our weekly photos as much as we have. My "Push Gift" from Puff was the most perfect gift ever, even if it wasn't over-the-top. We scored them on Etsy and I have looked forward to taking Bimmer's picture every week. So much so that I plan out her outfits in my calendar and have a good, healthy debate over her clothes on a regular basis. We won't continue with the weekly photos now that Project 52 is wrapping up, but I will still do monthly at least through her 2nd birthday. I hope you continue to check in on her growth and accomplishments through the next year, even if the updates aren't as frequent.
 
The rest? Well, we probably could have swapped our Graco car seat for another brand or our Chicco stroller for something different. We may have never noticed. We were low-key on all the things first-timers get sucked into thinking they need. Our minimalist ways have served us just fine and we hope that continues!
 
Now to figure out what to do with all these gifts Bimmer is sure to get for her birthday. Stay tuned for posts about her birthday party and her Year One photo shoot!

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