No one could have prepared me for the reality of motherhood. As I daydreamed about my future children and the life we'd have, coloring pictures, swinging at the park on sunny days, bedtime stories and butterfly kisses, I knew it would be hard, everyone says it's the most difficult and most rewarding job. But how hard, boy, no one can even know until they are entrenched in the chaos of parenting...the floor hidden in toys, the crumbs that reproduce under the kitchen table no matter how many times you sweep, the chronic sleep deprivation and the endless peanut butter sandwiches and mac n cheese! Okay so it's not all bad and yes these little darlings are the best thing that could have ever happened to me, but sometimes in the middle of a tantrum, I'm not sure whether to laugh at the situation (which I should do more often) or join in the tears (which I probably do too often). Yes there is a certain longing for your former life. You know the one that could go pee without an enterage of children asking,"What are you doing mommy?" "Can I flush?" "Yeah, mommy you went pee pee like a big girl!" But here you are, a mother and on the good days, they truly are the best days of your life and you can't imagine being anywhere better!
Yes I was a perfect parent before I had kids. My kids would eat only the healthiest of foods and watch no TV. They'd have perfect manners, never bight, hit or take toys away from the other kids. They would never be the child in the store screaming and crying for a toy or heaven forbid they'd ever be the screamer on an airplane! I mean how could you let your child do such things?
Well we've all seen one too many peanut butter sandwiches. Some days my oldest eats not only a PB sandwich for breakfast (is it really any different than toast?) but another for lunch and maybe a third for a snack before dinner (hmm? could that be why he's not hungry for dinner?). And how much cheese should one have in a day? Mac n cheese for lunch, grilled cheese for dinner and a few cheese sticks in between. Can man live on cheese and peanut butter alone? So far my protein filled child seems to be developing quite well. So he doesn't get a food pyramid of nutritious food everyday, right now with a 2 1/2 yr old and 8 month old, everyday is about survival, right?
And yes my son has hit, bitten and stolen a toy at playgroup. I've even stood in line at the store and heard the ladies the next line over say to the cleark "We've all been there." I'm not sure if she meant for me to hear or not, but inside I cringed and as I left the store realized that I was "that" mom with "that" kid. Your kid will be too. A dear friend's grandmother said, "If it's not your child today, it will be yours tomorrow." So true! Be careful not to judge the mother next you as you may soon find yourself on the other side of the of the glass wall.
