Most people don't appreciate how truly hard being a parent is until they are one. That was certainly the case for me. I had never even changed a diaper before my son was born. I was the night owl who loved to laze around until noon weekends. Needless the say, the sleepless, cry-filled nights really threw me through a loop. If there was such a thing as an easy baby, we certainly didn't have one.

What really astounded me was the fact that no one ever tells parents-to-be the truth about what it is really like to suddenly live with those fussy, needy bundles of joy in the first few months. Yes, there is a lot of bliss, but there are almost as many moments where you are utterly shocked and overwhelmed.

So, here is a rundown of the warnings I wish I had before I brought my little bundle home:

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