How Do You Like Being a Mom?

This picture summaries my first year as a mother - Joy, Fear, Sharing, Messiness, and Pride. There are several questions I have been routinely asked over the course of this year and they are generally asked by strangers.  How do you like being a mommy (side note- what grown person refers to themselves as mommy)?  How long are you going to breastfeeding? And most often, when are you going to have more children? My response is usually a stunned silence since I'm a relatively private person, aside from this blog. I can't imagine why anyone who doesn't know my birthday or where I went to college cares about my family's reproductive future. People are nosy, I am too. But why should they care how long my baby was breastfed or whether she sleeps through the night. Where are my new friends at 3 am when the Nugget decides its dance party time? Funny how freely people offer parenting advice but aren't quick to offer overnight babysitting. 

The parenting advice I would have appreciated most is you WILL mess up, everyone does. Some time, some way it is an inevitability that it will happen. Even the most dedicated, patient, competent parents I know have had accidents. I have decided its a right of passage when your child falls off a couch or bed, eats dog food, and looks at you in complete defiance and does the exact opposite of what you asked. Being a mom is something I had never considered, so I had no preconceived ideas of motherhood. In some ways it exceeds expectations, the amount of love for this tiny human is unexpected and overwhelming despite the numerous attempts to explain it. The areas of opportunity are too numerous to list, the top contenders on this year's list are patience, sleep scheduling, and menu planning. I figure if I can work on three things every year, I will be doing well. As a result, I really hope there aren't too many moments at 4 am where I feel the need to refer to my lovely child as a jerk.

The Nugget is a job not for the lighthearted, cowardly, or those who give up easily. She is stubborn, obstinate, and serious - traits she clearly inherited from her father. She is also focused, happy, and delight to those who love her. In her first year, I have learned my capacity to love has grown exponentially. I have an even deeper appreciation for my dedicated partner in this journey, he is even better than I could have imagined, without him I would most likely be in a lovely padded room due to lack of sleep. 

To answer the question, I love being Quinn's mom. Although I lived 35 years without this adorable child, it is hard to imagine a time that it didn't taking 10 minutes to get into a store or having a purse that resembles carry-on luggage. Happy Birthday Baby New Year!!! Here's to our next year of adventures, love, and smiles.