Often times when people ask me “how is motherhood?” I say “It is exhausting…”
On a good day I”m in bed by 8:30pm, on other days you may call me by 6:30pm and get offended because I didn’t pick up your call, but the truth is that I’m already fast asleep.
It’s funny to me how sometimes mothers who get to stay at home with their kids envy mothers who get to keep their kids in a daycare and vice versa. I hear things like “you’re so lucky, you can get a break” or “you’re so lucky you are with your kids the whole day.” and ofcourse the concluding statement is “I wish I could.” It’s funny to me because I’m realizing now that with this, as with anything in life, there is no state of perfection, if you get to stay at home with your kids, there will be moments where you wish you could use your brain, and your college degree for other things outside of speaking baby jibberish and changing diapers for the millionth time. And if you get to keep your child in childcare, there will be moments where you wish you could just see that toothless grin and twinkling eyes, instead of dealing with that annoying boss…
oh but yes, being a mother is exhausting… If you choose to breastfeed you’re feeding the child every two hours around the clock, constantly, 24/7, always, for what seems like eternity… then of course the child may decide that they want to play at midnight, because after all, it seems like a wonderful time to play, without realizing that every sane human being is trying to sleep at midnight….and then of course there are the poopsplosion (AKA poop explosion) that gets into everything and has you doing laundry at 2:00 in the am, on the same day that you have that ridiculously important presentation in the office, for which you have spent the last six months preparing, that has you wondering if you’re over feeding your child, or if you need to change your diet, or just stop eating altogether…
but no matter how exhausting, I must confess that I love the moments. I love seeing her face change from crying to smiling when she sees me first thing in the morning. I love her giggles when I’m changing her diaper after the 7th poopsplosion of the day, because for some reason her legs seem to be connected to her funny bones. I love her little blah blah blah, ah ah ah, wah wah wah babbles, when she wants to make sure that those conversing are aware she is around and they are not leaving her out of the conversation. I love how her eyes light up when her father comes back from work. I love how she tries to sing along with her nursery rhymes when we listen to them together. I love how she stares at new toys, examines and puts them in her mouth, showing me that she is OBVIOUSLY a genius…
So yes if you were to ask me “How is motherhood?” I would tell you (if you are a good friend, and I’m comfortable with you) “It’s exhausting… but I love it.”
Happy Mother’s day to all the Amazing mothers out there… enjoy your day, but don’t forget to enjoy the entire year… because you’re quite awesome.
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