Baby Surprises and Shockers

After my first kid was born, I figured my big shocker of the year was that I'd survived labor without screaming like I was in a Wes Craven movie. I didn't realize my baby had plenty of other surprises up his tiny sleeve. The first came when Davey, who'd been sleeping almost continuously, was just 1 week old: He woke up and gave me a look that said "Okay, lady, I'm through with acting like a tree sloth," and boy, was he ever. Suddenly, the drowsy, low-maintenance lump I'd known in the hospital was alert for long (and often needy) stretches. Was this normal?

Absolutely, it turns out -- and so were the other unforeseen moments Davey treated me to in his first 12 months, ranging from the delightful to the annoying to the slightly scary. For a peek at what your baby may have in store for you, and how best to handle it, read on.