The first year of a baby's life is an exciting and overwhelming time for most parents. Going into it, they may think they have prepared for the ups and downs of having a new member of the family, but that isn't always the case. Babies can be mysterious creatures, and their bodies and schedules often don't work the way parents might expect. From strange bowel movements to erratic sleep patterns, most parents agree that the first year provides a learning curve unlike any other.

To begin with, many parents learn more than they ever imagined they would about their strength and stamina starting with the birth process.

Jennifer McCall from George West, Texas, had her first baby at home after laboring all night. "Everyone was exhausted and fell asleep – everyone but me," she says. "I was so excited and happy and proud that I couldn't put my baby down or go to sleep. I just started to feel a little hungry when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find my husband's best friend. He looked shocked to see me on my feet, holding my new baby."

While her visitor was still trying to figure out what had happened, McCall further surprised him by bouncing up and down and saying, "Look what I did!"

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