Information Overload

As a new mom, I am anxious to get as much information as I can about my new baby.  How to create good habits, how much should he be eating, whats normal vs adnormal, best ways to get him to sleep, dealing with colic, etc etc.  There are books, blogs, websites, and magazine articles on any topic a mom can think of.  So whats the problem you may be wondering??  There is way too MUCH information out there for one mom to handle.  As I am figuring out, there are so many different strategies to handling any situation that comes up with a baby.  Even the "experts" frequently disagree with how things should be handled.  Just with sleeping alone there are many conflicting ideas... let the baby cry it out, never wake a sleeping baby, cuddle and hold your baby as much as possible, start a routine as soon as possible, use co-sleeping, put your baby in the crib as early as possible... and the list goes on and on!

So what is a new, sleep deprived, overwhelmed mom to do??  I guess we have to just figure it out on our own :)  I find myself taking little bits of advice from all different sources and putting them together in what works best for us.  I openly listen to help and advice, but then I adjust it to the needs of my individual baby.  Mike laughs at me because one day I'll be spouting off some new thing I read but the very next day I'll offer a new idea that totally conflicts yesterdays thoughts.  Bottom line is that we are figuring it out.  The books help, but ultimately we need to do it on our own.  Before Ryan was born I remember saying that Ryan was going to join the life we already have, not that our whole lives were going to change because we had a child.  I still believe that is possible.  We are learning how to continue to live our lives and just enjoy the new addition to it. 

On that note, my first big night out post baby is this Friday!!  My cousin is getting married and we are all going.  I have a new dress and new shoes and am looking forward to shaving my legs and getting all dressed up.  It will be different from weddings of the past because we will have our 6 week old with us, but I am excited to see lots of friends and family and hopefully get in a dance or two!