Things I never truly appreciated before kids

There are quite a few things that have come to mind recently that, before the daughter, I never really thought much of. Things that held little to no value to me. Things that I can see now should be treasured. Read on.


1. Baths.
      Not for her, but for me! I never took baths before having kids, now when Nana takes her overnight, the first thing I do is a super hot bubble bath complete with headrest pillow and aromatherapy. Better than sex (almost).

Cue the Enya music and the knowledge that you have hours.

2. Parking lots without speedbumps.
      Like many other kids, mine loves sleeping in the car. If the trip is over 10-15 minutes, she's out like a light. That is, until we reach our destination, and she's rudely awakened by the tree-trunk-sized speedbumps that have become so popular in every freaking parking lot these days!! I like the big huge wide ones that your whole car is on top of before you drive off it. They still do the job but they don't feel like you're on the back of a schoolbus driving through the Sahara.

Your shocks will never know what hit em.

3. Changing stations in men's restrooms
      I should sue... Seriously, it's offensive that women's restrooms (almost) always have changing stations, but men's restrooms nearly never do! Even more astounding is when you find out the price of these Koala Bear Care changing tables: only $169. In business terms, that's like five cents. I'll buy one for you for crying out loud! Sack up and cough up the money for your customers. There are a couple places we haven't gone back to because of it.

4. Designated "family parking" spots
      They're usually wider than normal spots, and closer to the store. They're also almost always taken (often by cars with no carseats inside...), but when they're not, it feels like the royal treatment: "Here, park up close where you don't have to drag a stroller and baby and bag through the rain. Please, open your door as wide as you need without hitting the cars next to you!" Love it.

IKEA, I could sing your praises for eternity.

5. Courteous, Observant passerbys
      I guess this one could be on anyone's lists, because it's just nice to see courteous strangers. But as I've had my daughter sleeping in my arms, bundled in blankets, tiptoeing silently behind my husband out to the car or up to my apartment, a stranger has come along "OOOOHHH HOW CUTE IS SHEEEE?? OH MY GOODNESS I'M GOING TO BE THE LOUDEST I'VE EVER BEEN TO EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE BABIES!" *cue startled crying* So if you're one of the observant ones who thinks: sleeping baby = be quiet, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being aware (and considerate) of your surroundings.

Take it from this little guy: Shhhhh!

Someone suggested I add: 

6. Naps
      I love them. I've always loved them. I think I get it from my dad... we always said if napping was an olympic event, Dad would win the gold every time. But somehow now napping seems more like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow than the mini-refresher I remember it being before kids. If I'm able to find time to nap, I have to do it sneakily or the little one will find me and play the "Wake up!" game. So this one is kind of bittersweet - I love naps, but with kids they seem worse than before. But better at the same time.