7 PARENTING TRUTHS FROM A NEW MAMA

[This is a sponsored post by PinkBlush. I only post about brands I truly love.]

Here's some honest motherhood for you: It's been a year and a half, and I'm sharing 7 things that I didn't see coming when I was pregnant. Which of these can you identify with?

1. YOU MIGHT REGRET IT: Sure, there are moments where I think about what I'd be doing if I didn't have a child. You second guess everything you do or say, because what if you're NOT nailing it at this parenting thing? What if you're raising a MONSTER? On accident... because you just really don't care if they eat snacks in bed. What happened to the super strict mom you thought you'd be? Are you failing? All questions that go through my brain on a daily basis. But, within these moments of question or frustration, I also find extreme happiness. In the eyes of this child, who has so much fun doing ANYTHING. It makes it all so, so worth it.

2. MOST NIGHTS, YOU'LL WANT TO STAY IN: You hear this all the time and roll your eyes, like 'yeah right'... but seriously. Most nights all you will want to do is stay in with your kid, put them to bed and then probably go to bed yourself. I have never been as exhausted as I am now that I'm a mom. Being 100% responsible for another human being is a lot of pressure. That being said, the occasional date night or night out with friends is in fact, the best thing ever. (Side note to people without kids: please keep inviting your mom friends to do things, even if they turn you down. They may say no a lot, but they really do want to see you).

3. Speaking of which, YOU'LL LOSE A LOT OF FRIENDS: This might be hard for you to swallow, like it was for me, but the harsh reality is that people without kids have a hard time relating to you, now that your priorities have shifted. It hurts, but you'll gain so many new mom friends that you love to spend time with, and who understand your new life. It's one of those pivotal times in your life where you find out who your true friends are. I both gained and lost a lot of non-parent friends. For example, some of my best friendships are with people who don't have children, but they care enough about our relationship to take an active interest in my child. Those friends who don't care about my kid.... bye. It sucks, but it is what it is.

4. OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN MAY DRIVE YOU CRAZY: Remember when you used to get to shop alone, at Target, and you'd be waiting in line patiently... but then you'd suddenly hear this screaming baby that wouldn't stop? You'd think to yourself: gah, that is so annoying. Well now, not only are you that mom who has the screaming baby... but now when you hear other peoples' screaming children you're annoyed even MORE so because you've already been listening to it all day. Same goes for the grocery store and doctors office.

5. That being said, YOUR COMPASSION FOR THE WORLD WILL CHANGE: Their noisy kids may drive you nuts, but you'll find yourself lending the other mom a hand without even thinking twice. You'll do things, simple things, like making eye contact with other moms in the store. The "I feel you" look. Solidarity, mama. You'll BE NICER to everyone you come in contact with. Is it because you're trying to set a good example? Maybe. Sometimes. But maybe not. Maybe it's been inside of you this whole time, but it took you until now to realize the power of kindness. I've always considered myself to be a nice person, but now I'm responsible for raising another NICE HUMAN. It's important that we teach our kids this, now more than ever.

6. YOUR MARRIAGE MAY GET ROCKY: Think that having kids will solve your marital problems? Think again. When you decide to be parents, you have to be ready for anything. If something goes terribly wrong, how will you get through it together? If everything is perfect, how will you juggle the sudden shift of all of your attention to the baby instead of to each other? These are real, unavoidable things that come with having a child. I was not prepared for the shift. For months, I felt major wife guilt over the fact that I would forget to even ask if my husband wanted dinner. And I really only cared about the baby we created. Things will be hard sometimes, and then they'll be easy and amazing sometimes. There's a season for everything, and if you suddenly feel this way, just know it's is normal and you have to work through it.

7. YOU'LL LAUGH AND SMILE TILL IT HURTS: Truer words have never been spoken. I personally think my kid is hilarious, but I think thats how every parent feels. Laughter is good for the soul, and when I'm hanging out with her thats what I do 90% of the time. It's the little things like this that make it all SO worth it.

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