Motherhood brings so many changes. Not just in the whole “there is a little person who is solely dependent upon me for all their needs” kind of way. I talked before about all the ways that becoming a mom has changed me. But it has also brought some lessons, not just about who I am or about children but just in general. Here are just some of the lessons from motherhood I have learned.
1- I really hate changing bed sheets. Like, really hate. A potty training child and a couple of stomach bugs has taught me this. It’s possible that I only change and wash her sheets when she gives me a reason to. And my bed….I will not admit to you how long I go between washings. I’m not sure some of you can handle the confession.
2- I absolutely need quiet in my day. Not so much silence just, no talking, running, laughing, etc. This has been harder since my child no longer naps but she is learning that from 1-3pm, she is to be in her room, reading or resting quietly.
3- Moms can pee faster than the average person. Truth.
[bctt tweet=”Moms can pee faster than the average person. #truth”]
4- You pretty much start to lose your sense of self, your identity, during that baby and toddler phase. Then somewhere along the way, between potty training and preschool, you find yourself again. You probably aren’t the same person you were a few years ago. You also realize that you need to be yourself, not just “Mom.” For me, that’s blogging. When I’m writing, I’m just Julie.
5- Things that were important before kids that you swore would always be important, just…aren’t. Like keeping the house clean or having a guest room or buying yourself new shoes more than once every 2 (or 7) years.
6- You can never have ice cream for dinner again…unless you wait until the kids are in bed.
7- To always, but always, pack a snack. This is a lesson I have learned the hard way. We’ve gone to weddings only to discover the “kid food” was still too fancy. Or the event went longer than planned and now the kid is getting hangry.
8- Never assume the liquid on the bathroom floor is water.
9- Never assume the liquid on the kitchen floor is water.
10- Never assume any liquid, on any surface, is water.
11- Never ask someone if they are planning on having children. You never know what their situation may be. Maybe they really don’t want kids at all or only want the one they already have. Maybe they’ve been trying for awhile and it just isn’t happening. You just never know when that question will rub someone the wrong way or open up a wound.
12- For me, something about motherhood has taught me to embrace my low maintenance ways. It’s okay that sometimes I feel like doing my hair and make-up but that more often than not, I don’t. I always used to feel a little shame about that. I just plain don’t care anymore. I don’t have to fit one mold or the other. I can be a mix of both and that’s totally fine.
13- As long as everyone is wearing shoes when they leave the house, it’s considered a win, matching or not.
14- Daniel Tiger songs, while super annoying, are extremely handy parenting tools. Potty training? There’s a song for that. Trying new foods? There’s a song for that too!
15- The sofa and the car are like magnets for Cheerios, Goldfish, pretzels, basically any cracker, cereal, or snack item. You will never vacuum them all up. You think you will. But then two days later there will be one Cheerio, sitting there, taunting you.
What lessons have you learned, either about yourself or life, since becoming a mom?
Ha! So many truths here!
We used to have ice cream or cereal for dinner all the time. No more though.
I have super peeing powers!
Don’t worry about the bed sheets. I hate washing mine too.
Thanks for sharing. I had some giggles here!
xoxo
Oh good! Another sheet washing hater. 😉
As I read this again, I contemplated when was the last time I washed my sheets. I seriously can’t remember. Oops!
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
I actually just washed my daughter’s sheets a couple days ago…because I couldn’t remember when I last did it. 😉 lol
Love this post! I’m not a mom, but I’m an introvert and need quiet too. It’s great that your daughter has learned to respect your quiet time! Good for you! And while I’m not the world’s fastest pee-er, I’ve given up bathroom privacy as my dog insists on checking on me to make sure I’m okay. Or she’s just weird. lol
This list seriously made me laugh out loud! I love it!!!!
Daniel the Tiger- yes! That potty training song was a life saver!
Mystery liquide- never assume!
Pack a snack- yes yes yes!
Glad you liked it. The “try new foods” song is a big one here.
Haha! I love these! We’re expecting our first in September, and I know I’m going to be doing a whole lot of learning. 😉
And in between the sleepless nights, you’ll have a blast learning. 🙂
So good, so good. Yes to snacks, yes to shoes, and a big yes to Daniel Tiger songs. Baby girl sings them all the time. So many truths Julie!
I actually had to check my own feet before leaving the house this morning. lol
Haha! I absolutely love this list! There are so many items that I identify with more than 1000%…because they’re #truth!
With our second on the way, I’m really not sure how I’ll handle the lack of body touching for days and days at a time…or the noise (I desperately need quiet sometimes). I wonder if this baby will sleep well or be ok with being put down to sleep sometimes….and I don’t know what will happen to my mornings. Mornings I’ve spent a little over a year having to myself, in quiet, while Baby Boy sleeps and I blog or read or whatever :/
We are struggling to get pregnant again. As much as I really want another child, I fear some of the same things too. Especially losing the quiet.
This list made me laugh harder than I should at my desk… Everything on it rings true!
#shinebloghop
Glad it made you laugh! 🙂
I LOVE this list! You have a great sense of humor. Reading #4 was a real encouragement to me. My son is almost 13 months old, and for the last few weeks I felt like I have lost my identity. I thought I was going crazy, but I am so glad to hear that other moms feel the same way at this age. And the bed sheets, I just washed mine yesterday because I couldn’t remember the last time I had washed them! LOL
I’m so glad I was an encouragement to you. It was at about 10 months where I started to wonder my identity so it seems to be that “around one year” mark for a lot of moms. Yea….that’s usually when my sheets get washed too. lol
I absolutely love this. Fabulous. I have had a good giggle here in the UK. In fact reading this back I am almost certain you can read my British accent.
I love the ‘Never assume…’ section. Soooo true
I agree with you about learning that some things are just not important. I also agree on the low maintenance ways. I like to look good but as a mother I can go out and feel beautiful in no make-up. #shinebloghop
It’s possible I’ve learned the “never assume” part the hard way…;)
Stopping by from the Friday Favorites linky! Great post! I’m right there with ya, girly, in hating to change the sheets! And that taunting cheerio….ugh!!! 🙂
Have a great weekend!!!
It’s true about finding yourself again. I’ve been doing just that the last month or so after my last one. It’s such a wonderful feeling!
Ah…yes this! The missing shoes drive me crazy!! Who cares if they don’t match or if they are toddlers I still think they can go shoeless. Linking up with you at a little r and r:)
So funny and so achingly true! I’m a fan of #1 (Oh, I do dread changing sheets) and #15 – when our kids were small I used to say that a homeless person could live in our min-van and eat well for a week on all the food that was left behind!
OH so true! Should I admit that I only dust and vacuum now when company comes over?! What is the point… in 3.5 seconds someone will walk through with dirt on their shoes or falling off their muddy pants or else they’ll decide to eat and send crumbs falling everywhere because even though their mouths make enough noise that I think they are huge apparently when it comes to eating they shrink. Nothing seems to make it into the mouth (and I”m talking about an 8, 10 and almost 12 year old here!).
Hahaha! I’m a bit of a freak about sweeping and vacuuming. I can’t stand grit under my feet. But mopping….that has gone way down since becoming a mom.