Working Mommy Wednesday...

 This week's prompt is...10 Things You Wish Someone Told You About Motherhood...

1. All of a sudden everyone around you will have an opinion about what you're doing...and they will share it with you
I was stunned to hear complete strangers asking about my birth plan, telling me how to stop him crying, commenting on my choice of bottle / formula.  Everything becomes fair game for a conversation and an opinion!

2. "This is what works for my family"
In reaction to the overwhelming numbers of opinions and advice I heard, this became...and still is...my mantra!

3.  Formula-fed babies are not dumb
So maybe I am a little bitter about #1, this is another reference!  I could not believe how many people, told me point-blank, that formula-fed babies are not as smart as their breast-fed counterparts.  I am still shocked that someone would actually say this to a new mom! (And happily, my formula-fed babies are not struggling academically or otherwise!)

4.  Being a mom is really, really, really hard
I thought that getting out of the first year was the real struggle...living with a pre-adolescent this summer indicates that I may be longing for the "simplicity of an infant" in the not-to-distant future.  Being a mom is hard, every day!

5. Being a mom is the most amazing thing you'll ever do!
The moment Connar was placed in my arms, I had a total sense of peace and a sense of ..."Oh, this is why I am here!"  That feeling was only intensified when I had Aiden.  The sense that my purpose is to be their mom is unbelievable...it feels so important and I feel so lucky! Before you get too wrapped up in bliss see #4! They go together in an endless cycle!

6.  You will question yourself constantly...
Did I feed him enough? Is he warm enough? Should I have packed more diapers? Can he cry it out? Should I comfort him?  Was I too hard on him? Was that time out too long? Can he really wait until lunch? Should I comfort him? Is he hurt? Does he need me? Maybe peas really will make him throw up? I should have bought that toy? Will he be ok?  Will they take care of him? Did I do enough? Did I do too much?...

7. Trust yourself...
Another endless cycle with #6...Remembering that I am the mom, that I have their absolute best interests at heart, that I know them best...trusting myself is one of the most important lessons I have learned.

8.  Wave a convincingly cheerful goodbye...
That line comes from an essay I read years ago...I didn't save the essay and I don't remember the author but that line has stuck with me.  As a mom my job is to bandage, comfort, wash, feed, discipline, hug and love and with the very same hand wave a convincingly cheerful goodbye.  I have to practice that one...I practiced when they went to camp, when they go to school, when I leave them at soccer practice, when they get new privileges... convincingly cheerful!  Then I turn around and cry, when they can't see.

9. Connar is one of the most amazing people you will ever have the chance to know and it will be your responsibility to make sure that he is ready to be a man...a student, an employee, a friend, a father, a husband, a person.

10.  Aiden is one of the most amazing people you will ever have the chance to know and it will be your responsibility to make sure that he is ready to be a man...a student, an employee, a friend, a father, a husband, a person.

It's a daunting and challenging task, but I've never had more fun! They bring more to my life then I could imagine before them.