THIS BABY THING IS HARD!

Look people, let me tell you something.

All the parents who try and glaze over the first 6 weeks of having a newborn at home with comments like; "Its a challenge but its so much fun" or, "Its just the lack of sleep that's getting to us" or (and this one is my favorite) "He/She was such an angel, sleeping through the night at the first week and hardly ever crying." are either CRAZY or they are LYING to you. Yes it IS a challenge - FUN....um.... not necessarily. Lack of sleep is just the tip of the iceberg, the endless hours of crying, the worry about doing something that would eventually be their demise, the racking your brain for that ONE thing that will soothe this savage beast, the endless hours of crying....you get the picture. And for those who have that 'angel' baby - you will get yours, oh yes, maybe not now but someday your sweet offspring will square off with you and make you wish they were tiny and perfect again. I like to think that Rya will be the most congenial of teenagers to make up for her squirly ways as a baby by always doing her homework without being told, tidying up 'just because', being 5 minutes early for curfew every time, only dating boys when she is 18 and in college, saving herself for marriage....(don't kill the dream people - this fantasy is how I get through my days ok.)

P.S. Notice the bags underneith my eyes and the faux smile that says "It took me 45 minutes to soothe her and if that flash wakes this baby I will kick your ass!"