Brody JUST turned 15 months! For the 90th time you guys, time really does fly by!! I know that I sound like a broken record when I say that but it never ceases to amaze me. The fact that Brody is officially considered a toddler is just CRAY. With that being said, I’ve learned a lot about #momlife over the past 15 months and while I don’t claim to be an expert, by any means, I do wish I knew the things that I know now when Brody was an infant. Here are 15 things that I’ve learned since my favorite little boy came into my life {and made it SO much better}: 

1. Some babies develop acid reflux, and it sucks, for the parents and for the baby. BUT they do grow out of it eventually. Aside from prescribed medicine, a few things to get you through the days of spit-up and tummy troubles include colic-ease gripe water, daily probiotic drops, oatmeal in each bottle, and stylish bibs. GAME CHANGERS.

2. It’s WAY easier to put on baby shoes if you’re standing or sitting behind  the baby. Trust me on this one. 

3. Doing the laundry was never fun but after having a baby, it becomes extra un-fun! And folding the laundry… ugh, don’t even get me started! THE WORST. But do it right away, or else it will pile up and you’ll feel ridiculously overwhelmed. Off to go take my own advice…

4. Pour ground coffee beans on the bottom of the diaper pail to eliminate the horrid dirty diaper odors. IT WORKS.

5. It’s not worth it to worry about every little thing. Will your baby ever eat solids? YES. Will your baby ever become mobile? YES. Will your baby ever say words with meaning? YES. Listen, Brody isn’t walking yet or really saying anything more than “dada” {well, he did start saying “mama” and words that start with b, like “ball”; and he says “hiiiii!”} but I’ve stopped worrying because guess what: THEY ALL CATCH UP. And even though it’s hard not to compare your child to others, every baby is different and they all progress physically and verbally on their own time… and that’s okay =)

6. DO NOT REACT when your baby falls… the calmer you stay, the calmer your baby will be! It’s inevitable that your babe will slip, tumble, or topple on the ground as he or she starts to grow and gain strength, but as parents, you have to stay cool!! Sometimes Brody will start hysterical crying after a big fall and other times he doesn’t even flinch {when I thought he’d be screaming!!}. I try to stay silent, holding my breath of course, until I catch his reaction. Then take it from there ;)

7. Baby wipes are your best friend. Keep them with you at all times because you will use them for everything. EVERYTHING. My favorite brand = THE HONEST COMPANY.

8. A baby’s nap schedule is important but as the parent, it’s even more important to be flexible! Let me tell you, I like love a schedule as much as the next person, but as soon as you think it’s set, something changes. It’s INEVITABLE… so you just have to go with it!

9. Pregnancy brain doesn’t really ever go away. At least for me it didn’t. Except now it’s referred to as #mombrain. Wait, what did you just tell me 10 minutes ago?!?!

10. Obviously I love all my friends, and remain close with those sans baby, but most of my now good friends are girls moms who I met AFTER Brody was born! It’s weird how this happens but it’s inevitable. These are the people who you have the most in common with now, can turn to for mom advice, plan playdates with, go to lunch together, and talk to about your child’s poop schedule… and no judging is involved. Just sound advice and real life! I love my mom friends besties SO MUCH and know we’ll be there for each other for the long haul. 

11. When a baby gets sick, and it will happen, prepare for it to last for way longer than you could have ever imagined. Ugh. I’m only telling you this because it SHOCKED me. Especially when Brody was in daycare, he got sick often and we’d take him to the doc who said a cold could last up to 3 weeks. 3 WEEKS! What?! And then there’s not much you can give a sick baby to help him/her with the pain. It’s so pitiful and heartbreaking and not easy to deal with, BUT, everyone will get through it with a little extra snuggles and TLC ;)

12. I knew babies grow so fast which comes with them also growing out of their UHDORABLE tiny baby clothes pretty quickly, but nobody told me about the upkeep that comes with that! OMG! Obviously there’s not room to keep allllll of Brody’s clothes {even the ones he’s grown out of} in his dresser drawers and I had no clue what to do with all these clothes when he was done with them and ready for the next size. I’ve always made it a priority to keep B’s clothes really nice and clean, with the possibility of them being reused one day for baby #2 {not yet guys! anddddd only if it’s a boy, that is}, so I went to The Container Store and bought these clear boxes. Before putting his clothes in the bins, I rolled all his shirts, pants, etc. nicely inside, labeled the bins by age and now they are perfectly stacked in B’s closet! These containers are THE BEST and I love that they’re clear, too.

13. BB {before baby} I took out the garbage once a day, maybe once every other day. AB {after baby} I take out the garbage 2-5 times a day… and that is no exaggeration. What I started doing, however, is life changing: I put about 10 bags on top of each other in the kitchen garbage pail. Then, when I take one out I don’t have to get a new bag to refill the pail because it’s already in there. Genius, right?! This is one of my favorite tips!!  

14. Everyone is going to have their own opinions about being a mom and raising a child but what I’ve realized is that no one has the answers. When it comes down to it, every baby is different as is every parent. If something works, go with it, if it doesn’t, try a different method. And what might work for me, might not work for you. With that being said, if it works, it’s the right way to do it! 

15. Last but not least, this is one that everyone told me to expect but I just didn’t really understand it until the second Brody was put into my arms. That is, you’ll never know a love so deep until you have a child! And there is no truer statement. With that comes worry, stress, and also, the most amazing way to go through life. Pregnancy and birth is an INCREDIBLE thing!  

[bctt tweet=”15 #momtips from a mom of a 15-month-old! #iadorewhatilove #iadoremomlife” username=”iadorewhatilove”]

Basically, I just gave you a list of 15 MOM HACKS!  
Want a bonus hack: COFFEE. I don’t drink caffeine but I guarantee most moms would tell you that they drink LOTS and LOTS of coffee. For the record, however, I do drink coffee everyday… just decaf.

Share this post with your pregnant besties, you guys!!! They will love you for it!

Any mom hacks that you know of and care to share?!? Do tell!