During pregnancy, you will receive a lot of advice on how to deal with insomnia and childhood problems. So once your little munchkin arrives, you’ll be surprised how much fun comes with the ride. Think of all these benefits of being a new mom and you will see the bright side too! When you speak with a funny voice or blow a raspberry, your enthusiastic audience goes crazy. Put a shoe on your head and your child will assure you that you are fun.

Your sweetheart’s laugh is addictive! It’s enough to make you sing all the time, even if you can’t keep up the melody. After my first son, Lance, was born, I dug up all the old camp songs (and even my dad’s favorite lullaby, which, oddly enough, was Elvis’ Hound Dog) to keep him entertained. I soon began to assign theme music to all sorts of ordinary moments. When Lance started pulling up, I would sing Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Get Up.” At first, you miss a night’s sleep, adult food trips, and an evening movie show. But your old life is subtly replaced by a different sense of community.

Trust me, I desperately wanted to get out of the house – I enrolled Lance in Kindermusik when he was 5 weeks old. Our first walks gave me the opportunity to explore nearby houses and yards, see who lives in my area, and keep an eye on local teenagers and toddlers. As your child grows up, you will discover the best storytelling hours, children’s museums, parks and children’s restaurants. Suddenly, you recognize the names of the librarian, the guard at the crossroads, and the barista who works the Sunday shift at dawn. You become part of the fabric of your city thanks to your tiny buddy.