I'm thinking about changing the name of my blog to "Mommy-licious: Everything you need to know about being a mommy that NO ONE will tell you". I think that is probably already the name of a book somewhere--but since only 15 people read my blog, it is probably okay. Okay, I just took a second to Google that and about 800 things popped up...oh well.
As of today, Camille is over 3 months old. I don't know how many weeks, so don't ask. The fact that I can remember my entire name is a miracle within itself, keeping up with my child's age in weeks is asking waaaaay too much. The experience of having a child has been such a dichotomy. How can one little miniature person be both the best thing in your life and the most challenging? One second she is crying her eyes out because she is hungry and stuck in the car seat--I'm not about to get her out. #1: Unsafe #2: Illegal and I really don't want to have to call the Department of Family and Children Services on myself since I am a mandated reporter...silly counselor job. The next second she is smiling the biggest, gummiest, most beautiful smile in the whole world that melts any frustration I have away (as seen in the picture above!). She is getting more and more fun everyday. I'll admit it, we were not the best of friends for a few weeks. She went through a phase where she would cry like I was trying to chop her leg off with a butter knife everytime it was time to sleep (naptime, bedtime...basically anytime she was a tiny bit sleepy). Thankfully, that only lasted a few weeks, then we were best of friends again. This Mommy thing is so much harder than any job I have ever had in my entire life. It's amazing how I can feel like I have been working my tail off all day, and still be in the same position at the end of the day when Andy gets home as I was when he left in the morning.
Here are just a few of the things I have learned already:
1) I don't think twice about wearing an outfit that has been thrown up on (down the front and back--how do they do this?!?!)
2) I can brush my teeth and 2 minutes later try to remember if I have brushed my teeth. Since I cannot remember, I go feel my toothbrush to see if it is damp.
3) I have had to buy scented deodorant for the same reason, I can't remember if I have put it on and I couldn't smell the unscented kind.
4) I can be ready one hour ahead of time and it doesn't matter, we will still be late everywhere we go.
5) Camille has 150 burp cloths, but I can never find one when I need it.
6) I have never loved before like I love Andy & Camille.
7) I feel sheer joy when I hear one tiny laugh.
Hope this helps some of you mommies out there and mommies-to-be--I've decided that I am not going to sugar coat this new job I have, it is important to be honest so everyone will know that they are not crazy (or maybe I am the crazy one to lay it all out there...). Now that I am off for summer vacation, I will hopefully have more time to update. Blogger takes so long for pictures, it is easier to see new ones on Facebook. HAPPY SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!
8 comments:
Bethany, you make me laugh! I agree-- being a new mommy is the hardest thing I have ever done. I felt completely inadequate and totally overwhelmed every single day! But one look at that face (when it wasn't screaming at me) makes it oh so worth it!! :0) After about a year, I started feeling better. At two years, I felt almost like myself again. And what have I done? Started over again! Ha!
This is so perfect...and made me laugh b/c I have done/felt all of those things. LOVE YOU and I know you are an amazing mommy. Let's get together and we'll talk about how crazy we are together! :) Camille is so sweet! Can't wait to meet her!
you are not crazy at all, we've all had those moments when we thought, "what in the world have i gotten myself into?!?" but you are the best mom for Camille, and that is why God gave her to you!
hey bethany...found your blog on ashley caldwell's blog and saw this post. i so much appreciate your honesty b/c i can totally relate. when my oldest (now almost 3) was only 6 weeks old, i remember sitting in the pediatrician's office crying b/c i was having a hard time nursing, braden wasn't sleeping and he was crying. i was feeling totally overwhelmed and my nurse looked at me and said, "this is the hardest job you will ever LOVE." i have thought back on that moment soooo many times b/c those words are so true. this job of being a mom is so incredible. the highs are SO high and the lows are SO low!!! nobody can prepare you for that. anyway...it gets SO much better, just hang in there. we just had our second 8 months ago and when he turned 6 months old, i felt like i could breathe again and now life feels very normal again. you'll get there too. those first 6 months are just ROUGH. no way around it!
good luck.
stacey
That was a great post!! I'm so glad you're honest. I do NOT know how you moms do it. I think I would go insane with all the crying. When I mention that I do not envy Mommys my mom will say, "But it's different with your own child." =) Glad you have so much love to give her. =)
ALL TRUE!!! It is the HARDEST job ever, and NO ONE can prepare you for it!!! I remember thinking that this would be great because I was all prepared from watching my nephews... uhhhhhh, wrong! But like everyone says... it gets better every day. I remember 3 months was when I started to come out of my fog, and by 6 months, things get really fun! Love you Bethany and call me ANYTIME! You're not crazy! :)
You should write a book! Love this post!
I love the suggestion about writing to build a community. I really enjoy sharing the interesting and engaging blogs I discover... it's the "web" in web-logging, and making those connections is gratifying and good.
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