What I wish I could tell myself 3 months ago...

Griffin turned 3 months last Sunday. What a whirlwind first quarter of life. It got me thinking of how much I've grown and how much I've changed in the past 90 days. Here's a list of what I wish I could've advised my new-mom self, who got a 2-week advance leap into motherhood last May 30. In other words, things I wish I knew:

1. You will get used to the sleepless nights. 

Before Griffin, I would need about 8-9 hours of sleep a night. This is what a "good night's sleep" would mean to me. Hence my body's shock at this new sleep schedule-- even worse when he was on his first month-- of waking, feeding, burping, sleeping and again and again. But now, I think I've gotten the hang of the feeling already, that it's much easier now to do tasks and function like an adult during the day, despite the sleeplessness. But there was a time when I felt the physical toll and doubted how people could possibly survive it for so long. 

2. He will get neonatal acne / rashes on his first month. Don't panic. It is normal. 

3. He will be very gassy and he will have trouble pooping... but he will get the hang of these sensations more and more as he grows. Just be patient. Stop googling. 

4. He will grow so fast. Lightning speed for 3 months. This is Griffin when he was first discharged (and lost lots of weight):

This is him at the cusp of 3 months:

On the first pedia checkup, you will be told he is underweight. Chill and let your baby catch up. Because he most definitely will. :p

5. You will discover your protective maternal side. It will come out each time he is uncomfortable, irritable or miserable. I don't even know how I'll

be when he does get sick for real (knock on wood).

6. Your husband will have his own way of parenting, different from yours. Let him discover it and practice it. Try not to control everything or get all helicopter-mom. Let him love Griffin in his own way. The baby won't break. 

7. Diaper changing is a pain. No shame in admitting that. 

8. Griffin will not like bundling up. He is like a radiator--- easy to sweat, slow to feel cold. The blankets are not needed most of the time.

9. Ease up on the 3-months clothes. He will take after his dad. He now wears 9-month or 12-month onesies.

10. Being on fulltime mommy mode will get boring sometimes and overwhelming on other times. Just go with the flow and remember that at the end of the day, all this goes by so fast. The days may be long but the months definitely go by in a blink. You now have 4 solid months left of being a mom and nothing else. Savor it.

Happy 3 months, love! And happy 3 months of motherhood to me :)