This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

I can’t believe that Brielle is already 9 months old.

*cue the tears*

I remember the first year flying by with Aiden too, but with two little ones I swear it went by even quicker. With your first, everything is so new, you’re constantly questioning your abilities, it can be overwhelming at times and so messy. And guess what? You still face a lot of those same questions and doubts when you’re second comes along, but with a bit more confidence in your abilities.

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In this video from WaterWipes, these moms shared their thoughts, fears and stories about the first year of life with a baby and they are so spot on. They’ve inspired me to share a few thoughts on my experience with my kiddos first year(s) of life.

Fear & Anxiety

I remember vividly the fear and anxiousness I felt when coming home with Aiden. I had no idea what I was doing! To be honest, I had rarely been around babies, especially newborns, so this was all completely new to me. I remember sitting there and looking at him and thinking “oh my gosh, we’re entirely responsible for making and taking care of this wrinkly, cute, boob obsessed, pooping machine”. I think that’s when it really hit me. The first month was a blur and straight-up survival mode. A baby completely changes your life and any sense of normalcy is completely gone. Not only are your taking care of this completely dependent baby, but your body has went through miraculous and intense changes, you have raging hormones, are existing on little sleep and adapting your relationship with your spouse as well. Google was my best friend (and nemesis). I’m sure if I could look back on my searches I would laugh now at some of the crazy things I googled.

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Coming home with Brielle was a bit of a different story. This time around I was so much more confident in my ability to care for a baby, but now it was the worry of juggling two kids. Aiden had just turned 2 and now we had a newborn as well. To muddle things even more, the second day home from the hospital, my husband had a medical issue and fell and passed out (he ended up being okay, but had to be at the hospital for the day and a slew of test to try to figure out what was going on). I was a hot mess. I have a newborn that was waking up to the world, a toddler whose world has been turned upside down with a sibling, a healing post-birth body (milk engorged breasts, stitches and all that jazz) and a husband in the hospital for unknown reasons. I think all these circumstances pushed me to buckle up for a bumpy ride and push through it all. Despite the craziness, I feel like life adapted easier this time around. We fell into a new normal easier and I healed faster as well.

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I think with our second we were more seasoned parents. We knew what to expect to an extent…which is to expect nothing. Babies change daily. What works one day, doesn’t the next. Schedules change. Expect the complete unexpected. The key to less stress parenting?

  • Adapt. Adapt. Adapt.
  • Bend don’t break.
  • Be kind to yourself.

The Messes

So. Many. Messes. Keep massive amounts of WaterWipes around because you’re going to need them. WaterWipes are super durable and effective and you don’t have to worry about any yucky chemicals since they are made with only two ingredients (99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract).

One of the funniest moments from Aiden’s baby days is when Ryan was changing his diaper. Being newbie parents, we definitely had our fair share of being peed on, but this one takes the cake. I remember hearing a rumbling fart coming from our tiny peanut and look over to see Ryan jumping in surprised after being completely doused in baby poo. Who knew a little human could make such a mess! I mean, it was everywhere within a 6 foot radius. Instead of helping, I’m just sitting there laughing my butt off.

Bri was a dribble mouth baby. I swear that she would keep an extra mouthful of milk just to spit it somewhere. She was notorious for spitting up all over me the moment I got out of the shower. And she is the messiest eater. It’s so bad, that most the time I just strip her down to a diaper to eat anymore because it’s so much easier to wipe her clean afterwards. It’s not unusual to change her diaper after a meal and find pieces of food in there as well. Our dog is in heaven cleaning up after her. And the raspberries…oh the raspberries that spew food everywhere: the walls, her hairs, my hair, my clothes. It’s a mess, but the cutest mess.

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The Love

Our days are crazy around here. Many days, I count down the minutes until bedtime so I can have a moment of rest (literally since Brielle still wakes up all night long). Despite that, there are many times where after we’ve laid the kids down that I wish I could hold them a little longer, and a little tighter.

The days of parenting are long, but the years are short.

It truly flies by and at the end of each day when I think about all the new milestones that they have reached and past, the insane amount of growth both mentally and physically that can happen in such a short time, I yearn to hold these moments close to me because I know that these baby days are quickly fading away. I see Brielle gaining more independence every single day and with each step of independence, I realize that I’m depended on and needed a little bit less. It breaks my heart, but also makes my heart soar with pride.

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Be sure to stay stocked up on WaterWipes, moms. You’ll need them for all those messy moments and might need a few to wipe away a few tears of your own for when the baby days fly by. I know that I do. I love that they are a safer, more natural wipe option for my precious little ones.

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What are some of your most memorable moments from your kiddos first year?

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