Years ago there used to be an ad on TV which had a tagline having a baby changes everything. I have seen multiple friends start their journey as parents the past couple of years and have heard and known enough about the changes a baby brings into one’s life. I thought I was well prepared – I had noticed the smallest changes a baby brings. I have heard and seen the father’s crib, the mother’s guilt, the sleepless dazed zombie state, the death of impromptu trips, the diaper bag become the most hunted item at home, Toys R Us/Babies R Us become shopping meccas. Yes I had seen it all and was ready for all of it. But life and babies have a way of throwing a curveball obviously when you least expect it. Here are some changes Baby I brought into my life – changes that I did not expect.

Humming – If you have the habit of humming songs like I do then you are in for it. I used to hum any song I hear, any song that gets struck in my head and I enjoyed it. Now all I hum is nursery rhymes and to add variety to it – I hum both English and Tamil rhymes. Inevitably, nursery rhymes make way into every playlist and clings to every single brain cell that makes you hum. Dedicated efforts to wean myself off humming “Jack and Jill”, all day and night is in progress.

Sleep – I slept through Hurricane IKE – the strong winds, the rains, and everything – a category 4 hurricane did not wake me up but a wee lil one wakes me up with a cry. Not just a cry even a whimper wakes me up. So now you know the secret for the latest look of the season – sleep deprived and zombieish

Guilt – This strikes every parent. A trip outside home sans the baby = guilt trip. It really does not matter whether you go for self-indulging timeout with the girls or for a torturous time at the dentist the new parent ends up with a truckload of guilt. A good babysitter (aka grandparent) helps a bit.

Plans – If you are a planner like me, it is time to throw out the plans. The parent plans, the baby disposes. It can be a plan for anything including what to have for breakfast changes as per your baby’s demands. It was initially very hard for me as I am a planner. I wanted to accomplish task a, b and c in a day and I could not even find time to start task a and it left me frustrated and disappointed. But I have learned to deal with it. The same also works for the plans you had to raise a perfect kid. In my dreams, I had a textbook pregnancy eating organic and healthy foods and meeting my daily requirements for diary, carbs, proteins and vitamins through food. My girl decided that she did not want mommy to be a good girl and made me puke my guts out no matter what I ate for the first 8 months of my pregnancy (yes I meant months). Same holds true for training your baby, no they train you!

Warrior – The arrival of a baby in the household immediately signals the arrival of a new warrior – the one who will win all thermostat, remote control, decibel level wars by means of cries, coos and smiles.

Baby Talk – New parents will inevitably talk babies to anyone who cares to lend them a ear. I promised I will not do it but am doing it. I watch my single friends give a polite smile and squirm as I describe anything from Baby I’s sleep pattern to bowel movement and tell myself to stop but I cannot. Motherhood has made me gush about my baby non-stop.

These are changes I did not expect or want to happen but Baby I brought them into my life. Parents, what unexpected changes did you baby bring into your life?