Motherhood Is...

Obviously this is a couple of days late, but these thoughts have been going through my mind since last Saturday.  From my own experience, this is what motherhood is for me right now, in no particular order.

Motherhood is being the last person to eat, and then never actually finishing your meal.

Motherhood is hearing your name screamed at you at least 200 times per day (this Family Guy clip is making a whole lot more sense now).

Motherhood is thinking that everything he does is the cutest thing in the world.

Motherhood is knowing that literally every surface in your home is probably covered in snot.

Motherhood is feeling lonely.

Motherhood is learning to never close your eyes when he is sitting on your lap because you never know when he will decide to throw his head back and break your nose.

Motherhood is repeating the same request 10 times in a row with absolutely no response or indication of compliance.



Motherhood is intentionally letting him make a mess on the floor with food or water or whatever because it is easier to clean it up than deal with the tantrum that would follow if you had said no in the first place.

Motherhood is crying all the way home from a trip to the grocery store with him and then vowing to never again put yourself through that trauma.

Motherhood is wiping boogers off his face with the underside of his shirt... or in the absence of a shirt, just using your bare hands.

Motherhood is being patient, and then losing your patience, and then yelling, and then feeling bad about yelling, and then asking for forgiveness and a hug, and then trying again the next day.

Motherhood is feeling inadequate in every way possible.

Motherhood is knowing that you are his favorite person in the world.

Motherhood is watching him color all over the walls, doors and windows because you are just so tired.

Motherhood is being proud of every milestone, no matter how big or small.

Motherhood is feeling your heart grow in capacity and strength everyday.

Motherhood is thinking that you are doing it all wrong.

Motherhood is being the only person who can calm him down when he's upset.

Motherhood is teaching him to say "please" and "thank you."

Motherhood is reading the same book over and over and over and over (I'm sorry, Dr. Seuss, but could your books be any longer?!).



Motherhood is just wanting him to grow up to be kind.

Motherhood is watching him take risks and wanting to protect him from the dangers, but also knowing that you have to let him learn somethings for himself and you can't protect him from everything.

Motherhood is singing him to sleep.

Motherhood is being amazed at how much he has already learned in his short life.

Motherhood is making funny faces and talking silly and playing games and all-around acting like a kid yourself.

Motherhood is thinking that everyone else is doing it right and has it all together.

Motherhood is letting him fall asleep on your shoulder every night and not really wanting to put him in his own bed because you love just holding him.

Motherhood is not understanding how such a little person can be so gosh darn cute.

Motherhood is realizing that you will never be able to talk logic with a toddler.

Motherhood is trying not to fall into the social media lie that everyone else's life is perfect and clean and fun and worry-free.

Motherhood is thinking that your almost 2-year old is a genius because he speaks in full complete sentences: "I did it!" "I want it!" (as a bonus, your English-teacher heart is so happy because clearly he understands subject-verb-direct object sentence structure).

Motherhood is an endless parade of dishes and laundry.

Motherhood is loving someone with "so much of [your] heart that none is left to protest."

Old photos from December 2015