Now that I am forty, there are a few things I would tell myself as a new mother.

1. Cherish every second.  Kids grow up so fast.  In just five years they are in a completely different stage of childhood.  Babies only last a year.  Especially yours since they walk at 9 months.
2. Trust your instincts.  If you see a change in behavior check for an ear infection or food allergy.
3. All in one cloth diapers are fantastic, just make sure you don’t get a high efficiency front loading washer.  There is just not enough water exchange to get them clean.  And buy the biggest container of Charlie’s Soap laundry powder.
4. Buy all white linens for the beds, that way you can bleach them if needed and they are all interchangeable.  You will be washing them constantly. Oh, and have a bed in the nursery for you.  You will want to be close when your little one is sick.
5. Help your husband plan date nights.  As much as you would like him to constantly surprise you with his thoughtfulness, you have great ideas he will never think of even if you tell him.  He will enjoy himself when you get there.  Ignore any initial responses, he hasn’t had time to think this through.
6. Play “Stop” and “Go” (Think red light, green light) with your early walker.  It keeps them safe when you are out and about.  Just stay “Stop” when they drift down a grocery isle or head toward a parking lot and they will wait so you can catch up.
7. Keep junk food out of the house.  They will develop a taste for real food.  The first time they taste American “cheese” they will alert you that this is not really cheese and remove it from their sandwich.
8. Be consistent with bedtime, and have a bedtime ritual that includes reading.  Eight o’clock is a great time for bed, and kids can just stay up a little longer reading in bed as they get older.  This is built in time with your husband after the kids are tucked in.  Enjoy it.
9. Infant swim lessons are worth every penny.  Watch the instructor with your first kid, and then you can teach the rest.
10. Be kind to yourself.  Your daughters are watching.  Love and care for yourself like you want them to care for themselves.  Be thankful for each day.  It is a blessing.
11. Honor your husband, and speak to him truthfully even if it isn’t what he wants to hear.  You need that from him, and he from you.  Love builds up.  Be his biggest fan.