8 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Mom

I think every parent goes through this. Having kids changes everything. Now do not get me wrong, I

love my kids and all the craziness that I go through on a daily basis but of course I wish I knew the stuff I know now back then because I would have been better prepared. So here is my list of 8 things I wish I knew before having kids.

1. No more naps. Now every kid is different and every parent is different. To me being a working mom that means I get absolutely no more time to nap. Between working a full time job, getting my house clean, taking care of the kids, and this blog I have very little time for myself. I could probably say that in the 3 years I have been a mom I have only gotten about 5 naps. Now it may seem crazy but I have gotten used to it. However there are a few days where I wish I could take a nap.
2. Sometimes you have to be shameless. Let me tell you one thing about me, I hated going to the doctors and being in delivery. I hate being opened to not only the doctor but also the nurses around. Becoming pregnant and becoming a mom I had to learn to become shameless. Doctors have to check all up in there and so do nurses. I didn't have time to worry about what they were looking at. Also as I said before that every child is different, have you ever tried to breastfed a screaming, kicking child under a cover? There were so many times where I had to say "F" it and leave it off just to feed my child... no matter how many people would be judging or staring.
3. You need to take the time to treat yourself. As mom we tend to think about everything our kids need and even everything our significant other needs and oftentimes we forget about ourselves. Between work, the kids, and this blog I have also dedicated a few 30 minute times spans just for myself throughout the week. With this 30 minutes I'll either take a nice bath, read a book, and even just listen to music on youtube. We cannot forget about ourselves because that is the easiest way to become over stressed or to even forget about you who are as an individual.
4. You will get advice from everyone. Take it lightly. Becoming pregnant and especially after becoming a first time mom it seems like everyone and their dogs have advice to tell you. I have learned to take everyone's advice into consideration but didn't ever really think about it too much. Everyone parents differently and will probably judge others for not parenting the same but you just learn that whatever you do for your kids is the best thing for them. I love to hear everyone's advice but I can never take it to the heart because they are not in my house every hour every minute parenting my kids. I am. And that is how it should be.
5. Touching and talking about bodily fluid becomes a norm. Its extremely crazy to think back to before I had kids. I hated throwing up, I hated the thought of it, and I said I wouldn't be able to handle it if my kids threw up but boy was I wrong. I have caught throw up on my chest when my baby needed me in the middle of the night, i have been shit on in the bath when they were sick with diarrhea. I talk to my parents about their pee and throw up like its a normal conversation. It's funny but I wouldn't have guessed i would be talking about any of this to anyone.
6. Being a parent is hard. There are mom and dads out there that make it seem like becoming a parent is easy. The harsh reality is that it isn't. Being a parent has so many ups and down, so many lessons, and a there is quite a bit to learn but it all gets made up with the “I love yous” and kisses. There are days where I just wanna give up. Some Days are so tough that it's hard to feel like I can't make it through the day. But being a parent is hard, however, it is worth it.
7. Friendships change. Usually for the better. I think most moms can agree with me that when you first become pregnant your friends are so excited and ready to become an “aunt”. However learning the hard way I have learned that friendships can change quickly. Becoming a mom took a toll on me and made me lose some of the people I was close too. Usually I can’t go out, I can't leave the baby, or I get so caught up and forget to answer phone call or text messages. Friendships tend to change but I’ve learned that the friends that that be there when you need them, even if its been weeks or months since you talked to them, those are the friends you need.
8. It is all worth it in the end. No matter all the ups and downs I go through being a parent I know that in the end it is all worth it. The love that my kids give me fill more heart more than anything else in this world could. I may be tired, stressed, and overworked but seeing those smiles, listening to their laughs makes me realize that my life couldn't get any better than this.