I once joked to a friend that the google search for 'can you get pregnant while breastfeeding?' should bring up a picture of me.
I remember a friend saying when I was pregnant with my first that it's not just about welcoming a new baby, you have to welcome in another person who you haven't met before too - yourself as a mum. And depending on your family situation there may well be another new parent beside you who was formerly 'just' your partner. I thought it was beautiful advice and it really helped me and my husband as we grew into our new roles.
Then when my baby was only 14 months old I accidentally got to know even more new people as my second child was born. I became a parent of two under two, as did my husband who was still recovering from the pregnancy announcement, let alone the birth!
I very quickly learnt that no child is the same and this amazes me still. Same parents but completely different characters. One sleeps, one is team no sleep. One says "yes mama", one is like "err, how about no?"
It is in those little nuances that you learn negotiation skills that could match those of the FBI. Just to get to out of the door. But you also see their magic and learn what makes them tick.
When you look at our Farmyard Nappy, you may see a nappy with cows and tractors on it, yet it was inspired by the differences between my children. My son adored farms and animals. My daughter used to walk around squeezing her nostrils because she hated the smell. That nappy can take me back to those moments in a nutshell - where my son formed his love of animals and my daughter learnt tolerance. Kind of!