Momma Michelle

Sat. we had a fun baby shower for Michelle. She looks so amazingly adorable pregnant! Michelle was one of my roommates when I first got home from my mission. She had to endure me during one of the craziest times of my life! She is so compassionate and kind. Yet she is also one of the sassiest and funniest people I know. I don't have any pictures of her pregnant but here are a couple from college:
OK this one actually doesn't focus on her very well but it had so many of us from the Villa I just had to post it! She is the cute one bottom left.
She is the hippy in this picture throwing you a peace sign.

Now that we have established that she is a fun, cute, sassy girl lets get down to why she is the subject of my post instead of my normal- the boys. At her shower Liz asked us to give her a piece of "mommy advice." I use to think really well on my feet but not since having children. I feel like I fumbled up what I was trying to say and didn't even say the most important thing of all so here it is- my real mommy advice.
The most important piece of advice I can give you (and believe me I need this advice today!) Is to enjoy every stage. They really do grow up so fast! I remember people saying that to me as a kid and I thought that they were crazy but honestly I am still shocked all the time by the fact that Turner isn't a baby anymore. So during those sleep deprived early days when you wreak of spit up, you are frustrated with breast feeding and all you want is a shower and a nap but you can't have either one, stop and hold your little guy really tight and try to memorize what he smells like and enjoy that he just wants to be held- it is over before you know it. And the second piece of advice is forget what you say you will and will not do or what your mom or your mother-in-law or your sisters tell you to do. Listen to advice but trust your instinct. You can find studies that back up anything you want to do- you want to co-sleep you will find an expert that says that is the only way, if you want them in their own room crying it out after they hit 11 lbs during the night then you will find some other expert to support that also! The key is this is your child given to you by Heavenly Father- you are his steward and you need to do what you think is right in your gut. Sometimes those gut feelings are vague and sometimes they aren't there at all and most importantly they will be different for every child but you are his mom and you know what is best for him.
So my dear friends and family what advice would you give a first time mom? Or any mom for that matter- I know I need all the advice I can get today!