the truth about bein' a mom.

back in the day, i had a LOT of anxiety about becoming a mom.  i liked my pre-baby life & although i was ecstatic to start our family, i was also somewhat afraid of all the changes people said having a baby would bring.

when i was a full-time career girl i would check facebook during breaks & read status update after status update of complaints from stay-at-home moms.  "my kid won't sleep", "i'm up to my elbows in poop", "i can't get anything done", "i would kill for a shower."  you get the idea.  i remember sitting there at my desk thinking, "really?  is it that hard?  i would LOVE to stay at home in my pajamas & play with a kid all day."  it sounded pretty sweet.

granted, i've only been a mom to my one outside baby for about nine months, but here's my answer to that question as i've experienced motherhood thus far.  is being a mom that hard?

yes.  and no.

honestly?  being a stay at home mom is pretty sweet.  i'm pretty fortunate in that i stay home with parker six days a week & i get to go into the office to work one day a week.  it's a great balance.  i get to play with p-ray for hours every day, go on play dates, go on walks, work out, blog, go to target, etc., & on my day in the office i get to dress up, interact with adults, make important decisions, use my brain, listen to loud music while commuting alone, & eat lunch out kid-free.

so what was i so afraid of back when i had all these "becoming a mom" anxieties?  well, i thought having kids would suck because i had heard so many complaints & horror stories from other moms.  i mean, how many times have you heard things like "being a mom is the hardest thing you will EVER do", "a mom's work is never done", or "my clothes are constantly covered in poop & spit up"?  probably a couple.  hundred.  at least.

and you know what?  those things are true.  i've only been a mom for nine months, but i can already attest to the truth of each of those things at one point or another.  and other moms love to tell me it only gets harder.  parker will start to talk back, he'll throw tantrums, he won't nap as long, he won't nap at all, he'll run away from me in stores, he'll have to be potty trained, & there might come a day when he doesn't think it's so cool to snuggle with me on the couch.  or put his head on my shoulder while i hold him.

hearing these things makes me ask myself, "ok... so if being a mom is so dang hard, why do you have kids?"  and here is where i'm gonna tell you the truth about being a mom... the part you don't hear enough:

because?  it is worth it.  the rewards FAR outweigh the trials.  it is amazing.  your baby smiles at you.  he will coo & giggle & speak to you in the softest little baby voice.  he will hug you & say "mama."  when you walk around the side of your car to get him out of his car seat, his entire body will light up at the sight of you.  and that?  is worth it all.

and even though parker is gonna grow up & have some nasty moments & it will get harder, i know that the rewards will only get greater.  he'll be able to tell me what he likes & dislikes.  he'll tell me he loves me.  he'll run to me when he gets hurt & ask me to kiss it better.  he'll sing, he'll laugh, & he'll draw me pictures. 

and he will always be MY baby.  i will always be HIS mom.  it might be hard at times, but it will always be worth it.