Molly is no stranger around here. Another one of my favorite blogging boy Moms, and one of my very first blog friends turned IRL friend. Molly and I met last fall for lunch at a local mall, and we have been meaning to get together again ever since! Sadly, she and her family are getting ready to move to Charlotte - bummer!
Today, Molly is sharing some of her tips about what you 'don't' expect to happen during pregnancy, delivery and once you bring your fresh, new baby home. Enjoy!
I
didn't expect a lot of what I've gotten so far from Motherhood, but it
doesn't seem to care. Just when I think I have it all figured out, I'm
surprised again. Here are some of the biggest shockers to date.
Gaining nearly 50lbs during my pregnancy. 7-8lb baby, some fluid and stuff, we're looking at 15 tops, right? Um, no. Not sure why it doesn't work like that really. I mean, does the baby really need the weight you gain in your butt? I think not.
Leaving the hospital looking like I was still 6 months pregnant. I couldn't believe how big I was when I left. Neither could the teenage volunteer that pushed me out to the car. Her
small talk while we waited consisted of confused looks and her finally
asking why I still was pregnant and holding a newborn. Someone missed volunteer orientation day.
Just how little sleep I would get.
It's not much people. There aren't even any good, long stretches. If
someone doesn't first wake you up, you're waking up to make sure
everyone is breathing and comfortable. I'm 5 years in and still rarely sleeping through the night.
How difficult it is to change a diaper.
Between the belly button and circumcision, the first couple weeks of
diaper changes were life changing events. By the time we got everything
cleaned, slathered and replaced, it was time to start it all over again.
Add the boy pee stream in your face and it just gets better. Oh, but wait. Wait
till you have a 30lb, 19 month old who's favorite pastime is to kick
and shimmy his way through his diaper changes. My carpet has seen more
poo than it ever wanted to. So I just got some pull-ups. I think I'd rather potty train.
How long it takes to do…everything. I
used to work 4 days a week before becoming a Mom. On my day off, I
could run all my errands, do all the laundry, clean the whole house and
have dinner on the table at the end of the day. I can't really tell you exactly what
I do all day now. I just know it involves lots of preparing meals,
cleaning meals up off the floor, booty wiping, breaking up fights,
building lego towers, 10 times more laundry than before and picking up
toys that are pulled out at twice the rate I'm cleaning them. And don't
even think you can "run in" anywhere. A 5 minute store run will
literally take 30 minutes with kids.
That my children would ever be those children. You know those kids.
The ones pounding the floor because they couldn't have the checkout
line candy bar. The ones running wild like the only meal they had that
day was a 5lb bag of sugar. The ones you hear yell "I am NEVER doing
that!" while 6 inches from their Mother's face. Those are my kids. And one day it will be yours. Why? Because it's payback for what we did to our parents.
How freaking awesome being a parent is. We took our boys to a pro baseball game not too long ago. On the way out of the stadium, my 5 year old looked up and said "I'm beginning to love you more than I ever have".
The way these boys of mine make my heart feel is beyond words. To have
those little hands around your neck and to know they love you
unconditionally is just the greatest.
Being a parent has been, by far, the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. Some days? I'm so over it. I'll be the first to be honest and say those pre-kid days? They were way easier. I
never thought I was loosing my sanity from lack of adult interaction. I
never found myself crying and asking my husband to call SuperNanny.
But life has never been as full of joy as it is today. It may be loud,
crazy and grey hair producing, but it's completely wonderful and I
wouldn't change it for the world.
I knew I would love being a Mom. I just never expected that it would be this good.
2 comments:
I love this. My 15 month old daughter is a pro at evading a diaper change. She also LOVE to just take it off once it is wet or dirty (makes for lots of cleaning). I am thinking its time for some potty training around our parts too... I agree motherhood is the most rewarding thing I have ever done - the older she gets the more I feel this. Those unprompted kisses and hugs, melt me.
I agree with all of this, a week after I had my son, I went to Target and was asked when I was due. Yeah. I still looked very pregnant for a few weeks.
Oh and changing a toddler is like a WWE event, I really think my child is stronger than I am.
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