Baby Book Blues

Dear Diary,

If you’re a first time mom or a first time mom-to-be, you probably have a pregnancy or baby book sitting on your shelf.  Or maybe it’s on the coffee table, calling you to journal your journey as a miracle maker.  On paper, it sounds like the perfect plan.  Years from now, your son or daughter could take a trip down memory lane and relive his/her life as an embryo or infant.  But in reality, most moms never fill in half the pages, or if you’re like me, you never make it past the sections on the first trimester.

Of course, you have good intentions.  My daughter’s father and I answered questions about our favorite names and what personality traits we hoped our child would receive from each parent. When I found out I was having a little girl, I even bought a pink pen and doodled little hearts and flowers on the corners of the pages.  I logged my weight gain and measured my waistline.  I also snapped a few shots of my baby bump (including one where I made a cutesy heart with my hand over my belly button, expressing my love to my mini me. At the time, I wasn’t even showing.)

Then morning (and evening) sickness kicked in. I’ll spare you the disgusting details, but the thought of completing a diary of some sorts was flushed down the drain.  At the time, I was also a career changer–moved from hosting a television show in the Cayman Islands to teaching middle schoolers in an urban area.  Because of my queasy stomach, ever-changing moods, and hectic schedule (did I mention I went to night school to obtain my teaching certification?) I left the book on the table.  A book I once looked at with eagerness and excitement, I now stared at out of guilt.  It taunted me.  Called me a bad mom for not making the time to insert information.  I felt like I wasn’t living up to the best mom title before I even gave birth.

I remember reading my baby book as a young adult, wondering why my mom didn’t finish it.  As the second child, I looked at my sister’s book, which wasn’t complete either, but had way more memories in it then mine!  Years later as a first time mom, I understand how busy she probably was chasing a toddler while pregnant.

That’s on reason why I decided to start this blog.  Each month, I’ll generate topics, share my memories, and ask you questions.  It won’t be time sensitive, so you can make your own deadlines.  You can record your memories the following day, week, or even month.  In the end, you’ll have a book filled with funny stories, cherished moments, and happy thoughts.  The book will make you feel like the best mom ever, even if you don’t fill it out the first year.

Here’s a few sentence starters….

The funniest thing that happened to me when I was pregnant was….

I decided to find out (not find out) the sex of my baby, because….

The ugliest maternity outfit I ever wore was….

The first item I bought my baby after I learned I was pregnant was….

While pregnant, people treat you like a queen.  They open doors, carry your grocery bags to the car, and complement your glowing skin.  The best part about this new status was…..