It Takes a Village

I feel like I'm always using cliches and common phrases, but this is a new one for me.  It's so true.  It really does "take a village" to raise a child, at least in my world.

Anyway, plain and simple, being a mom is HARD work.  I knew that it would be hard, but there's no way to be completely prepared for parenthood.  Like I said, it's hard work.  We've been lucky enough to have a really good baby too.  That being said, it's hard to express how appreciative we are for all of the help that we've gotten from so many people.  I say all the time that I don't know how people do it alone, with multiples or other children, while working full time, or with other special scenarios.  I guess you just do what you have to do.

So many people have done so many things- made food, made phone calls, babysat, shopped, visited, lent supplies, given advice, ordered dinner, sent gifts, left us alone (that sounds bad), run errands......  The list goes on and on.  For one little girl, all of these things continue to be done.  I can't imagine how exhausted, frustrated, lonely, or insane we would be (probably me more than Tony) if our "village" of support hadn't been there.  Alivia has a lot of people who love and care about her, and for that we are grateful.  So, thank you so much to the many, many family members and friends who have been there in all of the ways that you have.

To any person whose looking for ways to help out new parents, here are some less common things that we really appreciated or realized would be great gifts for other new parents.  (We appreciated them all, but these are things that I would've never though of.)

- Thank you cards and stamps
- Paper products: paper plates, plastic ware, napkins, and paper towels.  This means less dishes!
- If you're sending a gift, no matter what it is, attach a receipt.  This sounds unappreciative, but I'm being honest.  We got a few doubles, and you never know how clothes will fit as a baby grows.
- Chocolate and ice cream
- Homemade meals that can be easily be prepared of restaurant gift cards.
- Really good hand lotion- We do so many dishes by hand now that our hands are really dry.
- Chocolate and ice cream
- Copies (in any form) of pictures that you take
- Patience- not everyone can see the baby all at once, and new parents will never be on time
- Burp cloths- no need for an explanation
- A basket of cleaning supplies- we ended up buying a basket for each bathroom and put cleaning rags, spray, and a sponge under each bathroom sink.  It's way easier to clean now, and you can do just the bathroom of you need to in a couple of minutes.
- Chocolate and ice cream