More Lessons from Twin Parenting

Some moments of motherhood are profound and some are mundane. Here's a list of 10 more mundane lessons that I learnt.

1. Parenting has to be intentional - I noticed that I rarely focused on the babies 100%. My brain was always racing ahead to my list of things to do. I fed the babies while checking twitter and facebook and my blog reader. Something felt wrong. Were the babies interferring with my internet or was the internet interferring with my mothering?. So I took a telecomms break. For 20 days in January, I didn't use a computer or my phone. Not being able to use those, I was able to redirect my attention solely on the babies and actually enjoy them moment by moment and notice the little things. 
2. Start 'em young - Any habit that will be intolerable in a toddler, don't allow in an infant. This really worked when it came to sleep training.
3. Discipline is not a luxury - It takes discipline to prepare for the night feedings before going to bed, but the reward is I'm not stumbling all around the house at 3 am.
4. Parenting skills are not necessarily inborn - But they can be learnt. There's lessons to learn and books to read. Not seeking the knowledge-base available to parents just panders to ignorance. And an ignorant parent is a dangerous parent.
5. Drop the cape - The Superwoman cape that is. You can't do it all or alone. I was superwoman until one morning, after giving Sugar a bath, I went to the room to pick Spice up and instead I just fell into bed. I tried to get up but couldn't. The car was out of gasoline and fumes. I spent the next 2 days in bed unable to get up or do anything for myself. It was scary and I learnt my lesson. I need to take care of myself so that I can be strong and healthy to take care of my babies. The cape had to go (and the Hawaiian sweet rolls too)
6. Motherhood doesn't cure shopaholism but it changes it's form
7. Think outside the box - the box store that is. Get babyproofing supplies from the Home Depot. Order diapers and wipes online. Use a beer cooler as a lunch bag
8. Never say never
9. Blame it on mommy brain - when you do things like put new clothes in the washing machine with the tags and hangar still on. Or throw babies' bottles in the trash and neatly arrange a pile of used tissues on the countertop. Or regularly inform your friends and sisters that you've lost your cell phone while talking to them on said lost cell phone
10. To thine own self be true - Being an internet-loving mom, I come across a lot of  ideas related to mothering. The worst thing I can do to myself and my babies is do something popular that is totally contradictory to my personality. Sort of like my patio vegetable garden. the result is usually an epic fail