Monday, July 20, 2009

What No One Ever Tells You About Parenthood



1. I never thought I would be so happy to see someone poop (our daughter pooped for the first time while we were trying to give her a bath -- over a week after she was born).


2. Laundry is now a daily instead of a weekly chore. Who would've thought something so small could create so much mess?


3. Babies are psychic. They know when you are thinking about taking a nap, catching up on chores/paperwork or just taking a break. That's when they'll cry for no reason other than to keep you from doing anything constructive. Our daughter has become a master at this.


4. Meals become something to gulp down, rather than taste.


5. Everyone who volunteered to babysit/help before the baby was born disappears once the baby arrives.


6. People with no children are quick to tell you what you are doing wrong with your child. People with children are quick to tell you their baby horror stories. And everyone is quick to dismiss your feelings if you don't paint a rosy glowing picture of early parenthood.


7. You will never experience unconditional love like being up a 4 am with your newborn, convinced you will never sleep again, when your child looks at you, smiles, and grabs your finger. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, nothing else matters. She is all that is good and pure and worthwhile in the world. She is the reason you were born. She is wonderful, frustrating, delightful, and maddening. And you realize - she is yours, forever.

1 comment:

Sarah V. said...

That was put very beautifully. Congratulations again and again.
Auntie Sarah