Things I Googled When I Was A New Parent

Like I wrote in a post last year, part of my maternity leave was spent on Google (Is it normal if my baby ---?). I'd like to say the Googling stopped after my maternity leave but it didn't. I would still spend the night Googling away the minute the twins fell asleep. Haha. Did you do this too, mamas? What stuff did you Google as a new parent? Here are some of the stuff I can remember:

Doctor Tells Mom To Rest...

I was out of commission towards the end of 2018. I got a sore throat the day after Christmas which I thought would go away if I rested a bit and gargled with warm salt water but by the middle of the day things quickly escalated to a flu-like illness. I had joint pain, a terrible headache and even lost my voice. I was down the whole afternoon and only woke up for dinner.

The following day, I went to the doctor and she told me I had a viral infection that would resolve itself within a week or so but I had to rest.

Life Before Kids Vs. After Kids

The photo above was taken exactly two years ago. Joey and I were already married for 14 months and hoping to start a family. A few months later, we found out we had two babies on the way. Twins! Imagine that! While we both knew parenthood would entail enormous responsibility, we didn't expect that it would mean...

10 Things New Parents Should Know

Exactly a year ago, a sleep-deprived mom hit the publish button for the first time and posted an article about motherhood. Yup, the sleep-deprived mom is me. At that time, I didn't really know what I was doing. Motherhood is truly the best and most fulfilling job but it's also the craziest, most demanding role I have ever taken on. They say that sometimes you need laugh so you don't cry. I guess I took the saying to heart and tried to find humor in every sleepless night and poop explosion that came with being a new mom.

Yaya Problems

Mary Poppins (1964), from Disney Screencaps

Joey and I both work so we hired yayas (nannies) to take care of the twins while we're at the office. They would each be in charge of one baby and share in other baby-related chores like washing bottles, baby laundry and some light housework, which I'm told is the normal job description of a yaya. We also gave them a good package: salary way above minimum wage, paid time off and holidays, SSS contributions, healthcare,  and of course free board and lodging. 

So far, we've gone through 7 yayas. Yup 7!

10 Faces of Parenthood in Emojis

Because 😴 does not even even begin to describe it...

😫The first time you stayed awake for 24 consecutive hours.

🤔Is it normal if my baby...

😖When your sleeping baby cries the moment you put him down in his crib.

😬The first time you got poop on your finger while doing a diaper check.

😣The accidental baby headbutt.

😜Trying to get baby to laugh.

😒When someone tells you everything you're doing wrong as a parent.

😌 The first time your baby cries and you know exactly what it means.

🤗When your baby says mama or dada for the first time after months of babbling.

😍When you realize you're the center of their universe and source of comfort.

A Parent's Thoughts (Putting Baby To Sleep)

It starts with so much hope and ends up in desperation.