Nobody told me...

This morning we woke up earlier than usual. I was checking my facebook. I found this blog from a website I discovered before Dylan was born. It was/is a place to talk to other parents about... well everything related to prenatal care, to caring for children, and relationships with your (for some in-)significant other. This morning's blog made me laugh and appreciate parenting. Here it is, if you are interested. These moms were dishing about the things nobody told them about raising a toddler. I think my favorite was about brand new carpet and a toddler getting into some paint...

Here is my list of things nobody told me about parenting (or perhaps I've been told only to forget):

Baby signing time characters

• My life would revolve around someone else's daily pillow time, bathing, bowels and belly.
• I would become a preschool teacher. (...and love it!)
• The flushing of the toilet could provide hours of entertainment if allowed.
• I could be nice at 2am, oh... 3am, oh my... 4am, oh-you-take-him-am.
• By encouraging bilinguality, dancing and music, I'd be listening to countless hours of Yo Gabba Gabba, Baby Signing time and other assortments of kids shows/music.
• I'd wake up in the middle of the night with the music from the above shows playing on repeat in my head.

Yo Gabba Gabba Characters

• I'd come to love half-words/sentences like og (dog), ca (car), ish-is (fishes), ake-up (wake-up), dat ca top (that car stopped), I do ood (I do good) and cho-cho.
• Brushing teeth is a fun activity.
• I would watch things on TV and relate it all to my child's future or present. I have a hard time watching the news, movies about soldiers/criminals, etc.
• Holidays are more fun with a child/ern.
• Every scribble with a crayon is a brilliant work of art.
• Sidewalk chalk is easier to get off walls than acrylic paint.
• Hair brushes make great spoons for stirring toilet water.
• Toilet paper floats in the sink.
• My son would be better with technology (phones, tablets, Iphones, cameras, dishwashers, etc.) than me who grew up with computers.
• I would become a Jungle gym to climb up, on, or over whenever I moved.
• Hearing music with babbled words would be just as sweet of the sound of laughter and restful breathing.
• I would go to the store or gas station or pretty much anywhere without my sweet kiddo and feel like I was on vacation.

Some cute kid with a dog.

• Everything from eating, cooking, cleaning, getting coats on, to putting my own socks on would take about 15-30 minutes longer.
• Dogs would be cause for giggles and be one of the most interesting topics ever.
• I would argue with my son over who gets to vacuum, sweep, and use the steam mop.
• I would feel truly helpless when my son is sick and even more so when I am sick.
• I would have a kid who loves tomatoes and onions, but wouldn't like most red meat, eggs or cheese.
• Apparently texture in food is everything!
• I'm an engineer-rocket-scientist-president-astrologist-billionaire-driver-maid to my kid. Who knew?

This is just a few out of many things, but I'm sure you get the idea. Have a good day!