motherhood #4

by Roxy:

Being a mom has made me realize that the things in life that are the most challenging are the things that are the most worth living for.

Tommy (and the one on the way- to remain nameless to most people) has challenged me in ways that I never thought possible. But the motherhood experience has also fulfilled me in ways that I never thought possible.

I am now amazingly functional off of 2-3 hours of sleep.

I now know how to do more than 3 things at one time with 2 hands.

I can change a diaper in 15.9 seconds- Enough time to avoid getting peed on. Most of the time.

These little victories are the most awesome of all. Overcoming the challenges of sleep deprivation, pee soaked clothes and multi-tasking. These are the joys of motherhood.
It no longer matters if I sleep. Or eat. Or shower (gross). As long as he is happy and all his needs are met, nothing else really matters to me.

I could list all of the things that I gave up to be a mom, but I would rather focus on the many, many things that I have gained.

Selflessness is something that I have magically adopted. Anyone who knew me before and knows me now can tell you that sometimes I neglect myself. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. I now know how to put someone else’s needs before mine and that feels SO much better than sitting in a comfy massage chair while having my feet rubbed and toenails painted.

I have also learned so many nifty ways to live. To get more bang for my buck, I guess you could say. When keeping in mind all the many expenses of having children, it is easy to pass by the things in the grocery store that we always want but never need. Like pop tarts or Charms suckers, and replace the space in your cart with some carrot sticks or broccoli crowns that are on sale 3lbs for a dollar!

I have learned to have patience. Having a little child that is so innocent (OK when he was a baby he was innocent) makes you think twice about being angry or frustrated that you can’t get things done that need to be done. Or maybe they don’t need to be done that badly. The dishes in the sink can wait, and the laundry can be folded later. But the first smile and laugh only happen once. I can wait and watch for these things, and know that my patience will pay off.

I have also learned to watch my stinking language. It is amazing the things that a 1-2 year old will repeat. Actually, they hear it, register what it means and in what context to use it, and repeat it. So I have learned a whole slew of euphemisms to use, that don’t even sound anything like the curse words. But it is an outlet for me (the notorious potty mouth) and that is all that counts.

I have learned to love like I never thought I could. I love my child(ren) more than life itself, and no one can ever change that. God bless us mothers!