Motherhood—it’s challenging, but it’s the best job there is!
Life changes dramatically once you become a mom. It's an incredibly amazing change, and yet, there are things about motherhood that we complain about.
Like the fact that we don't sleep anymore.
And the fact that we are constantly picking up after our children.
And the fact we live in a state of constant worry and never-ending fear.
And the fact that we're doing never-ending loads of laundry, while helping the children with homework, cooking dinner, preparing lunches for the next day, organizing birthday parties, making beds, hosting playdates, cheering on our children on the soccer field or in the swimming pool, making child-care arrangements, reading, playing, singing, stepping on LEGO, rushing to work, baking cupcakes at midnight, and wiping behinds… all… day… long.
And there are also days we have to put together certain toys that make us want to rip our hair out.
Ah, motherhood.
Yes, it's tiring, and not always glamorous. Sometimes, the best night of the week is the night you visit to the grocery store—alone. This has replaced the Friday night you once used to know, the Friday night that involved high heels and dinner at your favourite restaurant.
I'm not complaining, though. Being a mom is the most amazing job in the universe.
Here are some things I love about motherhood:
I love that I made these people.
"I can't believe I made you!" I say this all the time. I made a person. I made TWO people. I made two people that also happen to be my most favourite people, ever. I love the people they are, I love their different personalities, I love hearing their voices, and I love their hugs and kisses. They complete me. I love the people I created.
I love being a child again.
It amazes me that now I'm the mom at school picking up her children, and not the child at school who is being picked up. When did I become the adult, and not the child running through the school yard with friends? Being a mom means that I can go down slides, play in the sand, make houses out of LEGO, and read my favourite childhood books again.
I love feeling proud.
Nothing takes my breath away like watching my children do something they haven't done before. Whether it was the first time they walked, or the first time they wrote their name, I am always the over-enthusiastic mom beaming with pride. When my son receives Awards of the Month at his school my heart feels like it is going to explode. It's a great feeling.
I love learning.
I've learned so much over these last six years, and every day, I am still learning something new. I'm being taught math and french again, I've learned that Goldfish crackers are awesome. I've learned that I can multi-task, a lot. I learned that I can go to the bathroom in an airplane while holding a baby in my arms and changing my toddler, all at the same time. I've learned that there is a lot left to learn. I also love teaching my children.
I love the little things.
It's the little things I love the most about being a parent. I appreciate the daily routine. I love movie nights, and snuggling on the couch. I love seeing my children get enthusiastic about a construction truck or a butterfly, and I love seeing them excited about Christmas Day and Easter egg hunts. I marvel at their innocence.
I love feeling inspired.
Nobody inspires me like my children do. They motivate me to be a better person, a better mom. I think about the future and the now, and I try to make the right decisions for them. I love seeing them care about the world, ask questions about life and the news, and talk about what they want to be when they grow up.
I love ice cream… and Happy Meals.
No, we don't go to McDonald's often, but when we do, I order three Happy Meals, and my boys and I sit in the car and eat and talk and listen to music. Yeah, eating food that is not always good for you can sometimes be pretty awesome.
I love feeling needed.
"MOMMY!" I'll never get tired of hearing my name, even in the middle of the night. I love sleeping beside my children, and I'll do it for as long as they want me to. Even if it means I'm sleeping with toes in my face.
I love observing.
I sometimes can't contain my laughter when I hear the conversations between my two boys. They make me laugh, all the time. I love seeing them become best friends, even though they also fight and tear the house apart on a daily basis. I love watching and observing them. They're pure entertainment.
What about you? What do you love about motherhood?
