Obviously becoming a parent has changed me. I grow and learn alongside my baby. It’s crazy how much Isaya has taught me. About love, endurance, patience, happiness and fear. You know, all the Big Things. But motherhood has also taught me a lot of super random things. These skills and revelations have almost become second nature. I hardly realize what a big part of my life they are now, but they are. And just because they are not Big and Important doesn’t mean they should go unnoticed.

Motherhood has taught me….

That I can do pretty much anything with one arm and hand, because I carry my baby in the other. Shaving my legs, eating dinner, doing laundry, cleaning the house; basically all possible without putting my baby down.

That I can go two whole days and nights without sleeping because my sick baby will only sleep on top of my chest.

To get over myself and enter the little goat area at the petting zoo, because my daughter loves having conversations with them.

How to change the diaper of a toddler that does not want to lie still, or lie down at all, without getting poo all over myself, my child and the house.

That the same goes for pigtails. I don’t want to brag but I can manage TWO while running after my toddler, without pulling out too many strands of hair.

How to shower with my child. I have perfected the skill of taking a shower with a tiny newborn, a baby and a toddler (all very different shower routines!) and then drying both myself and my daughter without anyone getting pneumonia.

How to tie my baby in a sling or put her in a baby carrier in under a minute.

That the Secret Place where all your lost hair elastics, lighters and socks go – pacifiers go there as well. I’m not kidding. If I had a penny for every pacifier we’ve lost so far… Well, we would use them to buy more pacifiers, because they get lost on a daily basis.

That the only way to get your disappointed toddler out of a store, swimming pool, playground or library without her crying loudly and everyone staring at you meaningfully is by excessively waving at everything and everyone. (Doesn’t stop the staring though.)

A million nursery rhimes. And also how to turn every situation or activity into a song. Basically my life has turned into a musical.

That the best way to get through engorgement in the early days of breastfeeding is to massage your boobs while you are feeding your child, even though it hurts like crazy.

How to ignore other moms staring at me and just go down the slide with my baby.

How to practice yoga with my daughter.

That my Medela milk pump also works on batteries. (Even if it was after about twelve months of breastfeeding.)

How to clean my baby’s nose without either of us getting traumatized for life.

How to make the perfect green smoothie so my toddler will absorb some vegetables and fruit.

That even tough public swimming pools and libraries are insanely dirty, they bring so much joy that the germs are totally worth it.

How to co-sleep with a toddler that is constantly pulling your hair. (Actually I havent’t mastered this one, any advice?)

How to restrain myself from buying everything I see whenever I walk into the baby section at Zara. (Also still working on that one.)

How to carry on a meaningful conversation while simultaneously keeping your baby mildly entertained, even though you have slept three hours.

That everybody is going to have an opinion about how to raise a baby, but that me and my wife are the only ones whose opinions really count when it comes to raising our baby.

That I will probably never stop learning, growing and changing now that Isaya is in my life.