There are many ways a newborn can shake your existence to the core. But here’s the silver lining: That little bundle of joy on its way promises to bring a whole lot of good too. Let us count the ways a new baby can thrill and delight:

You’re the center of the universe: When your little one arrives, you’ll be the sun and the moon to him or her. Your voice will soothe, your arms will comfort and it will be your loving embrace that seems to magically lull your babe to sleep

Everything is new again: As cheesy as it sounds, having a baby around forces you to look at life with new perspective. Your son or daughter will be mesmerized by the swirling blades of a ceiling fan and – lo and behold – the way it spins and sends your curtains aflutter is suddenly incredible to you too. Neighborhood dogs, a clear blue sky, a stranger’s kind face – everything ordinary is now fascinating again.

You’re insanely productive: Give this one a few weeks. Heck, give it a few months. Once you hit your stride as a new mom, you’ll find you get more done than ever before. When baby starts sleeping through the night and you have a chance to rest up, you’ll use daytime naps to cross items off your to-do list like it’s going out of style.