My Mom Life Might Look Dull, But It’s the Life I’ve Always Dreamed Of

Mother life. It’s lovely and demanding and chaotic and adventurous. With the stress, although, comes the nagging questions.

“What is going to my kids be like? When will I get to satisfy them? Will they be prepared to satisfy me too? Will they know the way a lot I’ve longed for them? Is motherhood actually within the playing cards for me?”

I nonetheless bear in mind shedding sleep over these aching questions in my coronary heart as I lay in mattress by the quiet hours of the night time a number of years again. That was lengthy earlier than a tiny toddler lay beside me, snuggled up shut and protected. Earlier than I entered into this new life the place “mother” would grow to be my new identification. Earlier than I entered into this new life, painted by days that would seem boring to some when in actuality, they’d find yourself being exactly the life I’ve at all times dreamed of.

The Early Years

I spent most of my twenties doing issues alone agenda: chasing goals like constructing my once-budding educating profession, shifting a thousand miles away (and again once more, a number of instances), and touring to make recollections with mates wherever, every time. I liked these adventure-filled years and am without end grateful for them . . . however I at all times dreamed of extra.

And now, on the still-young, however more-experienced age of 31, I’m residing the life I as soon as dreamed of, longed for, and prayed for. Mother life. Twenty-four-seven, three hundred and sixty five days a yr, my family-is-my-life mother life. Certain, it would look boring to some, however to me? It’s the life I’ve at all times dreamed of. Sure, it would look boring and even unimportant to individuals trying in from the skin of my household’s chaotic little abode. However I guarantee you, there’s a lot extra to the straightforward, on a regular basis moments of this mother life than may ever meet the outsider’s eye.

These Mother Life Moments are the Ones I’ve All the time Dreamed Of

When you had been to click on on my Instagram story within the evenings (posted after bedtime, after all), you may be greeted by a grinning toddler lined in a mashup of macaroni and cheese, blueberries, and no matter leftover protein discovered its means onto her scorching pink suction plate for the night.

Today, you gained’t see me out at a elaborate restaurant, dressed to the nines for date night time with my husband, or sipping beautiful cocktails over off-the-clock dialog with mates. You’ll discover me on the kitchen desk, squealing with pleasure as my 16-month-old figures out methods to use her toddler spoon all on her personal. Beaming with pleasure as that toddler spoon is swapped for clapping tiny palms and child tooth grins, proudly declaring, “mmm” time and again.

You’ll discover me gazing at my rising woman in awe, questioning how we went from seven tiny kilos to 20-something in simply over a yr. Questioning how we went from nursing and bottles to cups with straws and keen calls for of “extra, extra, extra” of the meals off my plate. You’ll discover me thanking God for the power to supply for and nourish a tiny human, yielding not simply glad bellies and messy, food-splattered flooring, however a lot extra. A contented youngster, laughing from ear to ear as she tosses our household canine one other half-eaten piece of bread.

That is my new definition of “glad hour,” and I wouldn’t commerce it for the fanciest blended drink on the earth. These moments would possibly look boring to some, however to me, they’re every thing. That is the life I’ve at all times dreamed of.

Happiness is within the Little Moments

After the kitchen flooring is swept clear and the excessive chair is wiped, you’ll discover me hurrying to select up one pile of toys earlier than the following is dispersed. You’ll discover me trying across the messy lounge whereas concurrently making certain my daughter doesn’t assist herself again into the cereal cabinet for a recreation of entire-box-of-Cheerios-pickup, questioning why I spent two minutes bothering.

You’ll discover me reminding myself that these are the moments I dreamed of. I then pause to reside in them as I sit on the ground sprinkled with crumbs and toys in pajama pants, graciously accepting each huge hug and tiny kiss my loving toddler has to supply. And also you’ll discover me dancing the night time away (or at the very least the following half hour of it, as a result of, effectively, that 7:oo pm bedtime calls and mother life doesn’t include the power to disregard it) to toddler tunes on repeat.

As a result of the reality of mother life is that this: these little moments imply a lot extra.

What Folks See vs. What the Little Moments Imply to Mothers

Dwelling-cooked meals imply rising, wholesome youngsters. Straw cups, suction plates, and toddler spoons imply studying lifelong consuming habits, one easy step at a time. Cleansing up food-splattered kitchen flooring means making room for extra mealtimes filled with recollections within the making. A messy home means a household that performs collectively.

Cheerios scattered on the ground imply sensory achievement for a curious toddler. Low-key evenings in imply holding area for a kid to play and discover. Sharing in huge hugs and tiny kisses means a younger coronary heart that’s growing with safety and love that may in the future be carried into the world that awaits outdoors of my arms. Lounge dance events imply motion and pleasure. Toddler tunes on repeat imply language acquisition in probably the most essential years for it. Bedtime by 7:00 pm means relaxation for rising people and an opportunity for mother and youngster to refresh for the following day’s adventures.

And that’s solely an oz of what somebody on the skin sees of the each day ins and outs of a mother life like mine versus what it really means to a mother like me.

I Couldn’t Ask for Extra

There’s little doubt about it, life modifications when one turns into a mother.

Priorities change. Each day to-do lists flip into unending family process lists. Nights out with mates are traded for morning play dates or the occasional textual content check-in. Dinnertime turns into outlined by messy meals on the kitchen desk, youngsters’ menu picks someplace family-friendly, or one other cease on the native ice cream store adopted by gradual neighborhood walks and bathtub time earlier than winding down for an additional early night time in.

And for some, quiet nights in – those spent questioning when life will grow to be what you’ve at all times dreamed of – fade to a distant reminiscence as whole contentment one way or the other washes over each sleep-deprived, small-moment-embracing bone in your physique.

My mother life would possibly look boring to some, however it’s completely, positively, 100%, wholeheartedly the life I’ve at all times dreamed of. And also you gained’t ever discover me taking one fleeting, easy, chaotic, blessed second of this mother lifetime of mine with no consideration.