The secrets parents keep

Things I feel like parents keep from other parents-to-be:

1. Say good-bye to sleep. I know a lot of parents do actually say that, but usually it's said with a smile. Don't smile. Look at this parent-to-be in the eye and tell them gravely that they literally will not sleep for a few days and after that, REM will become the holy grail.
2. Having a baby means being completely self-less, even when you're sleep-less and all you want is "me" time. Sorry, that's a no go for the first couple months.
3. How about NOT mentioning how your lovely baby slept through the night within the first month? It gives the rest of us complexes.
4. The concept of sleep-training and how terrible it really is to hear your baby cry without being able to go to him. Now, I know it's not for everyone, but I wish someone would have mentioned it to me so I could have anticipated it and not gone seeking for it in sleep-deprived desperation.
5. It's ok to order in. You don't have to be perfect and have a spotless home and cook gourmet meals. Just take care of yourself and family by giving them and you as much love as you can. That's all that matters.
6. Be prepared to have your relationship tested.  Arguments over ridiculously petty things will arise, and most of it is because you are so tired. Talk it out, or take a break. Just remember the things that really matter and live in the moment.
7. Your will, your sanity, and your identity will also be tested. Although this is a self-less time, if you deprive yourself of small pleasures, you are so thinned out it's not healthy for you and you won't be able to be fully "there" for your family.
8. If you thought you knew love, you are in for a surprise. Once you look into this baby's eyes, you will discover a love so unexplainable intense it will turn your whole world upside down.