Skills

In an attempt not to make this blog a mama blog, there's a few things I need to get off my chest. I've been just that, a mum, for exactly two months now*. It still feels a bit weird, this word - mum, but I'm slowly getting used to it aaand I like it 💁‍♀️.

I think it would be a bit exaggerated to say that "everything" has changed since Cleo was born. I get that some parents feel that way, because everyday life has of course changed. Yet, it's not like I've become a completely different person. Sure, priorities have shifted, I am probably not going to put myself first for quite some time now. This, to me, seems to happen quite naturally. If your baby isn't happy, you're simply not able to get anything else done either, even if you wanted to. Ours is noooisy when dissatisfied... Also, you just really really don't want your kid to be sad or feel pain - the moment when the first tears came almost broke my heart.

However, I might have "changed" a bit in the sense that within only eight weeks, I have acquired/improved so many skills that I knew would be important as a parent. Yet, it's almost impossible to fully understand their significance before you are one yourself... I still don't really know what I am doing, but I do know some stuff by now!

Multitasking!

As I am typing this, I actually have someone sleeping in my lap. Which is why this blogging is probably going to take forever, but hey, I am trying.

Efficiency and flexibility!

I've always been an efficient person. Yet, "efficiency" has gained a completely new meaning. You never really know how much time you will have to complete a task (read: how long Cleo is asleep or happily playing by herself). Sometimes, if I think I'll have at least 10 minutes, she starts protesting after 20 seconds and I need to post-pone the "planned activity". Lots of unfinished business going on at the moment... Example: Leaving my porridge before I even got to touch it. If you know me, you know I can't really handle being hungry. Well, suddenly I can! Not sure what that says about the real severity of my "hunger issues"... Anyways. Sometimes, she's unexpectedly asleep for two hours instead - time I really could have used just a few hours earlier 👌.

Which leads me to the next skill that I have improved: Flexibility! Each day is different with a newborn. They learn so many new things every day which makes their mood quite unpredictable (at least with ours haha). Some days are easy, some are more challenging, and you can't do much else than adapt accordingly.

Genuine interest in the uninteresting!

I am not very demanding regarding the content of conversations anymore (or at least at the moment, ask me in another few months). As of now, my daily discussions mostly consist of a monologue with Cleo's äääh, näääh, uää, eeeeh, grrrrr etc. as very valuable contributions.

Memory!

My memory has definitely improved. We suddenly need to split up one single Netflix episode into several days of watching, so I need to remember what happened ”last time” constantly, something I used to be pretty useless at. We're trying to finish a 45' or so episode of Snabba Cash since Monday - 3 nights of trying, 3 times failed!

Innovation!

I still have only two arms, yet, I can carry SO MANY things AND a baby! No worries, no need to call child service, my techniques are safe (and a secret, i’m so going to win this mom-game, ha!).

Ability to endure pain!

Disclaimer: I am not referring to the day Cleo was born because that pain was different, jeez! But apart from that, I have learned to block out pain. Up to a probably pretty unhealthily high level. Especially in my back (see point above). In two months, there were probably about 2 hrs of cuddling in total when both Cleo AND I felt comfortable. Sorry nature, but here you’ve failed big time! Or do I miss any point regarding evolution?! Anyways, who wants to put a baby down if its finally asleep after lots of crying... Well, not me, so in the evening, I usually feel like a grandma because of all the aches and pains...

(Hint: if you don’t know what to give for a baby’s birth, buy the parents vouchers for massage!)

F* it attitude!

Things need to be preeeetty darn embarassing in order to make me feel ashamed, I just honestly don’t care so much anymore. Carrying a baby that screams as if it was going to die in public (never will I think those ”but what are these parents doing wrong!?” thoughts again, lil young silly me...), leaking breast milk in public, not to speak from everything that „happened in the birthing room and stays in the birthing room“ (of course not, this quote is for stylistical purposes only, yet I’ll spare you the details. If you wanna know, go ahead and ask :)).

So. What is there to take away from all this? We're all good, life is great and if you want to gain valuable skills that are sought-after in the workplace: Become parents!

*two months and some days by now, as my blogging was interrupted several times by a little one that wanted to be entertained haha...