Day Four: There Must Be a God!

I have always believed in God. Being the daughter of a preacher it seems inevitable that I should. I know some don't believe in God. I don't judge, because it is not my place. But, when you have children they make you want to reevaluate your life. Children make you want to be a better person. It makes me want to have a deeper relationship with God.

There are several moments when you have children that you instinctively call on God. Yes, even if you don't think you believe in him. It could be the moment you find out you are pregnant, when that first labor pain hits, perhaps when you see your child fall for the first time, or at 3 am when you have just settled into bed and the baby starts crying again, you have uttered the words "Oh my God"! I am not talking about the casual OMG you may text to your friends. I am talking about that very short prayer you say in times of great emotion. Oh. My. God. In those three words there is an exclamation of great feeling, a statement of relationship, and acknowledgement of God.

When I had my son I could not believe that such a perfect little person had come from me. I was amazed by his tiny toes. I spent hours looking at him, and came to the only conclusion I could make. There must be a God.  What have I done in my life to deserve to be so blessed? The answer is nothing. But, that is how God loves us. He loves us without condition. He is the example of how we should love each other.

Please stay tuned tomorrow for the final installment

Day Three: The Multi Task Master

At any given time I have a hundred things on my to do list. I am constantly doing at least three things at once while thinking of the next three things I must do after that. Have you ever found yourself carrying and trying to soothe a crying baby, making a bottle, while the dinner on the stove is dangerously close to burning, the phone is ringing, and to your dismay you get a whiff of poo coming from the crying baby in your arms?  Yeah welcome to motherhood. Sometimes you are on point, you are handling with all the grace of a seasoned ballerina. You get a little cocky, and the universe throws a big fat monkey wrench in your flow. Sometimes you handle things like a hippo with vertigo on a tight rope. Just before you fall, your husband or some such angel comes to rescue you with a glass of wine, giving you a much needed break.  If you are a mom there will always be things on your to do list. You are now the C.E.O., accountant, nutritionist, nurse, chef, manager, driver, teacher, and janitor for your family. There will always be dishes, laundry, appointments, and meals to make. But, at the center of all of this is love. Love makes us get up at ungodly hours with sick children. Love makes us cook meals for our family even though we suck at it. Love gives us the strength to juggle our to do list, our lives, and our families. There is one thing that I can recommend in order to be more successful in your multi-task. You must put yourself on your to do list. We spend so much time taking care of the needs of those we love, that we forget about ourselves until something unforeseen forces us to. Be good to yourself, so you can be good to your family. Now go forth and multi-task

Day Two: #4 The Crazy Scale

Yesterday we started with my top five list. Number Five: The Eww Factor is in the bag. Today we explore

  Number Four: The Crazy Scale

 If you are anything like me you hate when men blame your feelings on hormones. The statement: "It must be that time of the month." Has earned many a man at the very least a dirty look. If it is that time of month you might get punched. After you have a baby people unknowingly reduce your feelings to "baby blues" It is irksome and in some cases dangerous to diminish postpartum feelings as "baby blues" Postpartum depression/anxiety/psychosis are very real things that should not be looked down on or pushed off as "baby blues"  If you need help please contact your doctor. If you need resources check out http://postpartumprogress.com.   I don't ever want any of my awkward friends to feel as they are alone in the journey in mommy hood. 

Now, what I am talking about is the extra quirkiness your personality acquires when you become a parent. The quirkiness that turns your once comfy home into a deathtrap. You see danger around every corner. I admit that before my son a was a bit of a germaphobe.  Since his birth that little bit has increased threefold. Nothing is ever clean enough for him to touch, but I have to stop myself for being crazy. There is nothing I can do short of putting him in a bubble that will protect him from everything in the world. I can only protect him from what I can. Sometimes you have to pick your battles. So, I just cringe, make faces, and sometimes things play out in my mind like a slow motion horror movie. Even with the extra craziness that I have acquired I still manage to do my best at curbing my neurosis. Being positive, and surrounding yourself with positivity works wonders even when you don't feel like being positive. 

There is another kind of craziness that we go through. I have to admit that this particular craziness is due to hormones. After you have a baby there are many hormones going through your body. There is a point after giving birth when hormone levels are out of balance. You cry for no reason, have trouble sleeping, don't know how to deal with your new body. To this hormonal craziness I say, you just have to ride it out. Cry for no reason, learn to knit for when you can't sleep, and love the body that just created a new life. It will pass, and you will be the best mom you can be.

Now there is a different kind of craziness that comes with older children, but that is a topic for another day.

Top Five Things: Day One

Becoming a parent is an amazing thing. It has become a process of discovery for me. I am doing my best to enjoy every moment. My son's first year is half over. Time is flying by so fast, and I find myself trying to remember to be present. Writing for you my awkward friends gives me a chance to reflect and share. So, now I will share with you my top five list of things I have learned since becoming a mommy.

#5 The Ewww Factor:

Everything that grosses you out is probably going to happen when you have children. If you find it disgusting it will probably end up in your child's mouth. This can continue even past the oral stage of development, which is the first twenty one months. I have a severe aversion to regurgitation. It is so bad I can't even say the v-word because just the word makes me gag. Gross....  Babies spit up. Fact. If you have a baby you will get spit up on. Fact. If you want a baby you will have to learn to deal with messes of all kinds. Sometimes you have to realize that this is a moment and it will pass. There is so much more to celebrate than there is to freak out about when it comes to life. Bodily fluids no longer completely gross me out to the extent as they once did.  They still hold a definite eww factor for me. I am getting over it.

Please come back tomorrow for the next installment #4 The Crazy Scale