Being a mother is the hardest, best, most rewarding "job" I've ever had. The past few months have been especially hard with teething, baby proofing, ear infections, and scrapes and bruises. Not being home most nights and only seeing my baby for a few minutes total most days was heartbreaking. I've had my fair share of emotional breakdowns, crazy protective mom moments and weird "do anything to make the baby happy" moments as well.
Last year on mother’s day, my Bensen boy was just a few weeks old. I was adjusting to my newest role in life and loving every minute of it (for the most part). A year later and I am the mother of a very busy toddler and five months away from being a new mom for the second time.
Being a mother is the hardest, best, most rewarding “job” I’ve ever had. The past few months have been especially hard with teething, baby proofing, ear infections, and scrapes and bruises. Not being home most nights and only seeing my baby for a few minutes total most days was heartbreaking. I’ve had my fair share of emotional breakdowns, crazy protective mom moments and weird “do anything to make the baby happy” moments as well.
As overwhelming as the idea of having my kids be 18 months apart is, I’m excited to bring another baby home and feel the love in our home multiply. So with a year of “experience” under my belt, I wanted to add to last year’s motherhood post with these thoughts.
Motherhood is discovering the world for the first time, through your child’s eyes. It never gets old!
Motherhood is being so excited for naps and bedtime and then having to resist the urge to go wake your baby or stare at them the entire time they sleep because you miss them so much. (I see this sentiment on social media so often.)
Motherhood is dance parties before bed, reading stories in silly voices, and memorizing “catchy” tunes from children’s shows.
Motherhood is being OK with having evidence of someone else’s dinner somewhere on your person. (We took a picture with Bensen after his birthday cake and he proceeded to turn and wipe cake and frosting all over my face.)
Motherhood is walking through Target thinking, “Ooo! My kid needs this!” more often than you think, “Ooo! I need this!”
Motherhood is sometimes planning your mealtime around naps and bedtime. As strongly as I feel about eating together as a family, sometimes it feels like the greatest luxury to eat my meal in silence. Bensen loves his “yum yums” and mine and Joe’s. I can’t even grab myself a snack with this kid around, it always has to be shared.
Motherhood is doing what you know is best for your child, no matter what the parenting books you’ve read tell you to do. It’s kind of crazy how you just know what your child needs.
Motherhood is watching pieces of your and your spouse’s personality appear in your child. It’s realizing that there is a part of each of you in them, but they are a very unique individual with their own little personality as well.
Motherhood is thinking everything your child does is cute. Whether they’re staring at their hand for no apparent reason, jabbering and giggling to themselves in the other room, hitting a milestone, or even getting mad and screaming at you. How does anyone discipline their children when it’s so funny and cute when they are angry or getting into something they shouldn’t?
I’m so grateful that I get to spend the rest of forever doing my very favorite things, being a wife and a mother to the ones that I love more than anything else in the world. I’m looking forward to watching our children grow and the excitement of seeing who and what they become.
What is motherhood to you?