Six Things We Wish We Had Known About Parenting...

So, we know a lot of things... or we think we do, hence the name of our blog. The thing is, sometimes you don't really know something until you've experienced it.

Case & Point? Parenthood.



We planned on doing things a little differently... but hey, we're all just winging it, right? We know Delainey knows she is loved. We know now that being a parent isn't always easy... some days are rougher than others. We also know the moment you feel those sweet little eyes admiring you after you've taught them something new; we know how incredibly worth every second of a tantrum is to feel that adoration... and I can only assume those precious moments intensify and repeat over the years.

Now that we're approaching Delainey's first birthday, we're stoked to be able to celebrate her one year here with us... but I have to admit, we're kind of celebrating making it through one year as parents too. This is all new to us, like most parents - the good news is, we've lived a little, we've learned a lot, and today we're sharing just a small portion of that knowledge.

Because as I said, we know a lot of things, but we had no idea what parenting would really be like.

So, we'll start here:

Cloth Diapering - I'm going to start out by saying, I always thought cloth diapering sounded like a great idea but the actuality of doing it definitely intimidated me. Dealing with waste, washing them, knowing which snaps to use... I had no clue and for some reason, no matter how many times someone would tell me, I would still feel squeemish about it. The funny thing? I love cloth diapering now. It's easy, it's cost-effective, it's environmentally friendly... and if you are fashion conscious, it can even be a fashion statement. Plus, I think D prefers cloth as she's learning to toddle around... they seem to add a little needed cushion!

Evivo - Speaking of adding just the right amount... Evivo is something we had no idea about when D first came into the picture. I mean, a probiotic for their tiny, growing bodies makes sense... but for some reason it wasn't at the forefront of our minds.

Then we did the research and found out how important it is for Delainey's gut health to provide her with just the right amount of probiotics. If you're interested in learning more about Evivo, click here to learn more.

Comparison isn't fair - On that note, learning is a constant at this stage... but it's important to remember not to compare your child to another. Whether it's a sibling or a friend's kid, they all learn, grow, and excel at different rates. I like to say if her "pediatrician isn't concerned then I'm not concerned", while it sounds silly it's a good reminder not to stress the small stuff.

The funny thing is, she just starts doing stuff randomly. One day she isn't crawling and the next morning she is. One day she just doesn't even want to try to stand and the next she's cruising around our furniture. She's unpredictable and does everything in her own time, so instead of worrying about the rate that she's accomplishing things, we're just along for the ride and enjoying watching her.

With that said, we're still waiting on even a single tooth to pop through... teething is rough, y'all.

Baby Led Weaning - This is another thing I had no idea about when I first had Delainey. I honestly thought baby food in containers at the grocery store was the only way to feed an infant... and while it's an okay way to give your kiddo food, you can offer them foods you eat.

But wait, I'm not suggesting you toss your 6 month old a steak and potato with a side salad, it's more of a gradual adjustment to the world of food. We started with avocado, then sweet potato, then some other fruits like blueberries, strawberries, bananas, mangos, etc... and now her list of foods she has tried could rival a picky adult eaters! HA.

Seriously though, Baby Led Weaning isn't about getting the baby off the breast (or bottle), it's more about allowing a baby to become part of the family meal at a younger age. We love sharing with Delainey and we've found she's a huge fan of unexpected foods like quinoa and jackfruit... we have also found that while she's waiting on teeth, she's able to eat almost anything - which is impressive!

Buy/Sell/Trade - Speaking of impressive... BST boards are full of super impressive deals! We have clothed Delainey in some of the most adorable clothing at ridiculously low clearance k-mart prices thanks to finding the buy/sell/trade world on the internet. Interested in diving into the addicting and exciting world of cute baby clothes resell? I'm not even kidding when I tell you, you'll find the cutest clothes and the best of deals (and it's pretty likely you'll make a few friends too). Search for groups on Facebook featuring your favorite small shops! Also, keep an eye out for an upcoming post about our fav BST groups on LaurenPaints.com! I'll be sharing a great little list of our favorites as part of our current rep series!

Time - This one we can't even claim we didn't know... because everyone told us it would happen. "Time flies" isn't just a cliche statement - it is the honest truth.We had no idea how quickly this last year would fly by. Maybe it's the fact that every day with Delainey is fun? Not really sure... all we do know is we are blessed to get to speed along side her in this crazy thing we call life.

On that note, if you're a more seasoned parent than us (or you think we missed something), leave a note letting us know what you wish you had known about parenthood below. We are still learning all about parenting this little nuggest so we can't wait to see what you have to say!