IYADWYADTYAGWYAG

"If you always do what you always did, then you'll always get what you always got."

I read this somewhere years ago and periodically it pops into my head.

Lately, my husband and I have been squabbling alot. I just had a baby five weeks ago and we're both figuring out how it's all supposed to work. We have new---and very different---roles. I'm staying home from work for the first time ever, for example. It seems there are so many things we don't see eye-to-eye on.

We argued about co-sleeping and when's the best time to migrate the baby out of our room. Not now---at least we agree on that. We argued about the purchase of a stroller. We now have four. We argued about how to spend gift certificates people have given the baby. I didn't think it was right to spend it on random household items or car repairs. He says, funds are funds.

Also, since I'm breastfeeding, I'm the one who wakes up at night and takes care of the baby, and I try to keep her as quiet as I can so he loses only a minimum of sleep. I know in other households, the father also wakes up with the mother for moral support, or, if they are bottle feeding or the mama has pumped, he will do some of the feeding. However, I don't really feel the need to make my husband do that, but I do expect him to face the facts that he will be getting less sleep and he does need to pick up some slack in other ways. I feel as though he's not doing enough to pamper me as a new mom. He disagrees, but hears me out and says he'll do better.

But, I know something is just not working and I'm wondering if the problem is my delivery. Here is where the "IYADWYADTYAGWYAG" and life coaching lesson comes in. I have got to do something differently if I am ever going to get the results I need. So, instead of spouting forth my complaints and disappointments, like I usually do as a woman who speaks my mind, I am going to try a new approach. I'm not sure what that will be yet, but I don't want to get what I always got so I have to stop doing what I always did.

It's almost August, a new month, so the next few days I'll be gearing up for the change and in August I will officially implement the change and get back to the blog with my results.

Mama? Me? Yeah.

This is a collection of thoughts during my first four years as a parent, as compiled on my blog "Mama? Me. Yeah." Just after my kid turned four seemed like a good "stopping point." Read through to the end and see why, or skip around these thoughts on motherhood and life from a non-mommyish mama.

UPDATE: Started back up! And it goes on...