8 Ways Motherhood Changes You

Sometimes I sit and think…what in the heck happened to me?! Motherhood is beautiful, amazing, terrifying, and exhausting all rolled into one big ball stuck in your throat and it simply won’t go away. I often get choked up with intense joy watching my beautiful babies grow, just as much as I get choked up with sadness knowing each day they are older than the day before. Never again will I wake up with an agenda all of my own. I will forever be a slave to these tiny humans, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

But I have to wonder, what DID happen to me? The me of myself whom was always so driven and had dreams and goals that never seemed to end? Will I ever be in touch with that person again? And then I think about that girl I was before I became a mother, and look at the woman I am now, and I think about all the ways that motherhood has changed me. Even though my ambitions are far different from before, I can’t help but realize I am not the same person anymore. Today I am sharing 8 ways motherhood changes you and why you are stronger for it.

Flexibility

And I do not mean physically! As a mother I can now roll with the punches and adjust to plans changing like it’s my job! And it kind of is… Plans NEVER go the way they are supposed to anymore, and they change faster than you can imagine. Plan B, C, even D is my motto these days and it doesn’t even phase me anymore. In fact, when things do go according to plan the first time, I am more shook up then when they don’t!

No More Cookies

Gone are the days when I got a pat on the back or round of applause for my hard work. I can work my butt into the ground and what do I get for reward? Probably spaghetti on the floor and a deafening scream for a bottle! And you know what? I am ok! I no longer need that constant gratification of validation for everything I do, and as much as it would be nice to hear it more often, I know that doing a good job is not something I should be rewarded for. It is all I care about regardless! I will forever clean up after my kids no matter how much they follow me leaving another mess, that is something I never knew I had in me!

It’s Not a Mess, It’s Life!

Before I had kids I was somewhat of a perfectionist. I liked everything to be just so, and I would be pretty cranky if it wasn’t. My house was always clean, every drawer, closet, and cupboard was perfectly organized, and everything had it’s place and order. I even did things in a certain order because it was what I found to be most efficient. Fast forward to today and man have I let it all go! The thing is, all the sudden perfection is not as important to me, it is far more important that the kids are fed then it is to have the kitchen be clean before guests arrive. I will forever be tripping over toys if it means that dinner is done on time. I no longer have to have my makeup, hair, and outfit looking like I just walked out of the salon when a messy bun, leggings, and lip gloss will do the trick. It is amazing what my definition of good enough has become!

Pride has a Whole New Meaning

You can find me singing ‘Wheels on the Bus‘ at the top of my lungs down the aisles of Target, you can see me sniffing my child’s butt to see if she pooped in the middle of a line at the bank, you can catch me wiping a runny nose on my sleeve at the park… my pride and coolness has 100% abandoned me and I am no longer the definition of chic and stylish! And I do not care! My child can fall to the ground screaming in the dressing room at Old Navy, and I may come out red in the face hoping everyone in the store doesn’t think I am in there pinching my child, but at the end of the day my smooth coolness is not a priority and maybe one day again I can regain it! Or maybe I never will, oh well!

I Know Nothing

Remember when you were 9 years old and you were pretty sure you had the world figured out? But then 17 rolled around and then you were sure you had it all figured out? But then you turned 25 and well it was just plain obvious at that point you had it all figured out? Well I am now 31 and a mother of 2 and I am now sure I have NOTHING figured out, and I am not sure I ever will either! You can never fully appreciate your own mother until you become one yourself. That saying has never rung more true for me! For all those times I judged mothers at groceries stores with screaming children, or mothers in church with that child that kept climbing under the pews, or that mother at the park who was forever chasing her child yelling that it was time to go…I now hang my head. I could never have known what being a mother would be like, and to this day I still am learning how to do it! And I am pretty sure I won’t have it figured out anytime soon either!

Master Multi-tasker

On the flip side I have acquired a skill that I never knew I had! I am now a MASTER multi-tasker if I ever saw one and I will brag all day about that! I can call to schedule a doctor appt., hold a baby while feeding them a bottle, stir the mac n’ cheese, and wipe a runny nose all at the same time. Yeah… beat that! For real though, I never knew how many things I could do at once until I became a mother. I also never knew that I could have a conversation with an adult and a child at the same time, and for some reason this has become second nature to me! For all of you who have to listen to me yell “No Aria don’t eat the dog food!” into the phone while you were mid-sentence with me, and then hear me jump right back into the conversation as if nothing had happened…. I am sorry!

My Mind and Heart are No Longer My Own

I will forever have to live my life from here on out with my most precious and dear parts of me running around outside of me. Every thought I have, every decision I make, every feeling I endure, is somehow related back to my children. The moment my first born daughter was here and I was holding her in the hospital, I realized that I will forever be a slave to fear. I have never known a love so strong, a fear so intense, and a joy so high until I became a mother. Those feelings never dull down and they are a daily occurrence. It is no wonder why we are so exhausted!

It’s the Simple Things in Life

I have never been more grateful for a hot shower, an uninterrupted meal, or a nap before in my life. Truly I would take a nap over a shopping spree any day now, and I promise you my answer would have been different before I had kids! I am much more easily amused and entertained, and the simplest things make me happy. My child can clap her hands every day, all day long, and I still think it is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. It is crazy to think that I used to be bored. Ahh the bliss of youth!

As much as I feel like a stranger to my younger self, I could never imagine changing the way my life is now. Motherhood has changed me and it defines me, and I love every messy, scary, joyful, crazy bit of it! How has motherhood changed you? Let me know!