In a pinch, a baby wipe can be used to clean red wine from a sofa cushion.

Things I've learned since becoming a mom:

1. In a pinch, a baby wipe can be used to quickly clean red wine from a sofa cushion...a fact I only discovered when I attempted to turn the cushion over, only to realize there already was a stain on the other side of the cushion.

2. The hardest part of parenting is worry.  I already worry about virtually every aspect of my life and adding a child to the mix has made my worrying, at times, unbearable.  It is cold and flu season and the first stomach bug has hit Ben's daycare.  I never imagined I could spend hours staring at a child, looking for signs of illness.  And, I'm not entirely sure what I'm scared of.  Is it fear of seeing my baby ill, fear of how I will handle his illness, fear that I will get sick?  A combination of all of the above, I'm sure.

3. A dog is an absolutely necessary household appliance after children reach the self-feeding stage.  I spent part of the Thanksgiving weekend with Chad's family and I was shocked at how messy Ben got the floors.  Food doesn't even hit the floor in our house, it is snatched by one dog or the other as soon as it leaves the high chair tray.