Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Home truths about motherhood.


The things about motherhood is that it doesnt get any easier.
Well on some level it does because you do get to the point where you can feed, burp, change nappies, soothe kids, put kids to sleep, even feed multiple kids as the table without any real extertion.  Things that seemed to require a project management schedule with baby number one, are not really a challenge.  You can see the experienced moms at the playgrounds.  They dont even pause their conversations to wipe noses, put on jerseys, even hand out the occassional well aimed swot.  No sweat at all.  Just do it and move on.

So as i face becoming a mother for the third time i dont really think about all of that.  After two children i know some essential home truths about motherhood.  As Oprah would say, things "I know for sure..."
  • That motherhood is the single most exhausting thing that you will ever do.  It seems easy broken up into little parts but doing all those little parts for about 20 years adds up to a lot of calories burnt (even though you would never say so looking at my figure.).
  • That privacy goes out the window when you have kids.  Weeing alone, bathing alone, having a shower without someone sticking his head through the curtain is not an option.
  • BUT, and here is the real humdinger, you dont seem to mind.  Sure in the beginning the lack of sleep kills you but once you get used to walking around like a zombie, well then its all downhill from there.
  • And at the end of the day it is all essentially worth it. Worth it in a undescribable way.  Where you dont want to be one of those smug moms and say "You need kids to be complete" but you also know that you could never live without your kids and your life is fantastic with them.  And that they do complete you in a glorious way.
So as the weeks start running down towards little madams arrival I know that its going to be hard work and i might just die physically but i also know that i will emotionally revived on some level, that time will fly and soon she will just be part of the day to day happy madness of my life. 

As I speak i have a friend waiting desperately to go into labour with her first child.  And as a friend I am driven by the need, when we speak to make her understand how very hard and magical it will all be. But i also know that this is an impossible wish and that each of us need to take that journey alone.  Its just part of earning your motherhood badge.

Al

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