When they begin walking and getting into things you wonder how you will ever be able to get your house clean again.
When they turn two (or three for my kids) you will wonder where you sweet baby went and who is this monster.
When they go off to school you will wonder if you have taught them enough, if they will make friends, if they will be okay.
As soon as you feel like you are getting it figured out, something will change.
If you throw a second child into the mix you will think 'I have done this before- I know what I am doing'. While the sleepless nights and diaper blowouts won't be a surprise anymore, there will still be new things, unexpected things- as each child is their own person and no one way works for everyone. You will barely notice their growth and milestones as you will be so busy trying to manage two.
By the time your third child comes along you will have come to terms with the fact that you will never have all the answers. With this knowledge you will also come to learn that it might just be okay to not always have the answers.
You will look at the sleepless nights as a chance to spend a little one-on-one time with that little baby who will be big too soon. You will laugh at the exploding diaper as you will know it will make a funny story to tell (okay you might not laugh in the moment).
There will be a new level of peace because you are beginning to come to terms with the fact that you don't have all the answers and you know what that is okay!
Life will be going along at what feels like a good pace and then something will always happen. Something that leaves you wondering, pausing, unsure what to do.
This is motherhood.
How have I figured out how to be a mom? By learning that I will never have all of the answers, I will never do it all just right, that I can never do it all. All I can ever do is love my children, try my best, continue to learn and grow right alongside my children, and learn to say I am sorry when I mess up.
This is motherhood.
It is totally worth it.
*************
Been stressing over Elise suddenly refusing fruits and veggies and feelling horrible for letting her eat goldfish instead, so I needed this!
ReplyDeleteSo went through this with my kids! But yep, she totally will survive and be okay and you are still an amazing mama. As long as you keep trying to give her fruits and vegetables she will start eating more again someday
DeleteIt's constantly changing, isn't it? I was just looking at old pics of my boys and realizing just how different it was to parent them back then as opposed to now. And it's changing so quickly!
ReplyDeleteYes! So true; their ages and stages really makes a big difference
DeleteAin't that the truth! We are easing into the preteen stage over here and even though Lex has generally made it easy on me, there's been quite a few things we've had to tackle that I haven't known quite how to handle. It's a continual learning process! I bet even Michelle Duggar would agree with you, and she's done this, what...19 times? ;o)
ReplyDeleteYes I bet she would agree too! I have to admit I am not looking forward to the preteen/teen stage
DeleteOkay, you're making me fret and cry and everything else. a soon to be new mommy shouldn't read this... hahaha :). I may or may not be freaking out just a bit!
ReplyDeleteOh no sorry!! But the whole point is that it is okay to not always know what you are doing and once you say that is okay then it makes everything so much easier.
DeleteI absolutely love this post, so true. No amount of books or advice can ever fully prepare you for motherhood and the challenges you may face. But it is oh so rewarding :)
ReplyDeleteExactly!! Very well said
DeleteSo true! So fun too!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt really is incredible...but so true...once you have something figured out, everything changes!
ReplyDeleteYep, but once you can come to peace with that fact that it makes it all okay and a little easier to handle
DeleteThe last line says it all, totally worth it!
ReplyDeleteYes!! Exactly
DeleteYep so true my friend!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! This post was originally going to be something totally different but when I sat down and started writing it sort of wrote itself
DeleteAnd all of my children are married and I still wonder if I'll ever figure it out. I long for the days of endless cooking, laundry and sleepless nights.
ReplyDeleteSo much easier.
Seriously.
Okay, will have to keep this in mind on those days where I just want to scream and try and enjoy it :)
DeleteI used to swear up and down I was never going to have kids. Not me. No way. Yet hear I am with three children and I can't imagine or even remember hardly y life without them.
ReplyDeleteExactly! It changes everything and really for the better in the end
Deletethis is so true! My kids are grown, and I'm now learning how to shift our relationship to adult-to-adult. The learning is never-ending! I wish I had known that earlier. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, I think the adult to adult transition with my parents was easier for me than my older siblings as am number 5 in the family, so by the time I was an adult they had learned how to make that adjustment and it felt pretty easy on both ends I believe
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