Today my guest post is by the amazingly lovely Amanda. We connected through blogging friend on twitter. I love reading her blog and her journey.
Thanks Amanda for sharing!
Change
Hello :) Amanda here from eastpath.net doing a guest post for the lovely Jacqueline! I'm here to write today about Change and how it relates to motherhood while Miss J is off on an adventure (I mean vacation!) I hope it's a fabulous trip!
So! Change! Change is scary. Super scary even! In general, it's my opinion that most people really don't like change. Especially big changes. The majority of people (myself included!) would like things to just kind of roll along merrily with no big ups or downs to get in the way of enjoying life.
However, life almost never works out that way.
For me, one of the biggest changes in my life was having my baby. I mean you know your life will change once the baby arrives, but you really have zero conception of exactly HOW it will change until that baby comes and you are right in the middle of it.
And let me just say, that the "mild" ups and downs that I'd so greatly come to appreciate in my life have been chucked out the window! There is no mild in the world of a baby. Some things are somewhat predictable, but for the most part, change becomes an every day occurrence. I'm not just talking about diapers either. ;)
There are small changes, obviously. You have to adjust where you keep things in your house. For safety. No chemicals in easy to access places. No cords or other things that can be pulled causing items to crash down to the floor. Breakables in places where they won't fall/be reached. That may seem obvious, but in a lot of ways it isn't. I've already found myself moving things I didn't even expect to have to move just to ensure that she doesn't harm herself.
But you don't want to take everything away, because if you say "No" all the time or hide a bunch of stuff the curiosity factor will increase hugely and then the trouble starts. If I can't watch her for a few moments (especially if I'm in the house by myself) she goes in her crib or pack 'n play so that she can stay out of mischief while I need to be out of the room. Moms have to use the bathroom sometimes!
Speaking of bathroom, that's totally another change. Moms don't really get private bathroom time as much as they did previously. In fact I've had to use the bathroom while HOLDING the baby. It was very awkward but we managed.
Something else that I didn't expect but had to adapt to, is becoming a "one handed wonder woman" and all moms really are! There are so many things I've done now with one hand that I never would have previously because the other hand was occupied with or full of baby.
Other things change too, like where your money goes. "Frivolous" spending is no longer part of my life. It's very difficult. I'm quite used to getting the things I want when I want them and not waiting. Now I have to save to get stuff that I want for me because her needs and priorities are first.
And I think that's the biggest change of all. You really are no longer first in your own life anymore. You have a little being who needs you 100% of the time for everything and whatever you may want or wish will often be put off due to whatever it is they need coming first. It's a difficult balance because you do still need to take care of yourself, and your relationship, but many times that is all secondary to your child.
At any rate, as you can see, change and children go hand in hand :) Enjoy those changes because that's life now, and it will help you grow. Embrace it!
Thanks Amanda for sharing!
Change
Hello :) Amanda here from eastpath.net doing a guest post for the lovely Jacqueline! I'm here to write today about Change and how it relates to motherhood while Miss J is off on an adventure (I mean vacation!) I hope it's a fabulous trip!
So! Change! Change is scary. Super scary even! In general, it's my opinion that most people really don't like change. Especially big changes. The majority of people (myself included!) would like things to just kind of roll along merrily with no big ups or downs to get in the way of enjoying life.
However, life almost never works out that way.
For me, one of the biggest changes in my life was having my baby. I mean you know your life will change once the baby arrives, but you really have zero conception of exactly HOW it will change until that baby comes and you are right in the middle of it.
And let me just say, that the "mild" ups and downs that I'd so greatly come to appreciate in my life have been chucked out the window! There is no mild in the world of a baby. Some things are somewhat predictable, but for the most part, change becomes an every day occurrence. I'm not just talking about diapers either. ;)
There are small changes, obviously. You have to adjust where you keep things in your house. For safety. No chemicals in easy to access places. No cords or other things that can be pulled causing items to crash down to the floor. Breakables in places where they won't fall/be reached. That may seem obvious, but in a lot of ways it isn't. I've already found myself moving things I didn't even expect to have to move just to ensure that she doesn't harm herself.
But you don't want to take everything away, because if you say "No" all the time or hide a bunch of stuff the curiosity factor will increase hugely and then the trouble starts. If I can't watch her for a few moments (especially if I'm in the house by myself) she goes in her crib or pack 'n play so that she can stay out of mischief while I need to be out of the room. Moms have to use the bathroom sometimes!
Speaking of bathroom, that's totally another change. Moms don't really get private bathroom time as much as they did previously. In fact I've had to use the bathroom while HOLDING the baby. It was very awkward but we managed.
Something else that I didn't expect but had to adapt to, is becoming a "one handed wonder woman" and all moms really are! There are so many things I've done now with one hand that I never would have previously because the other hand was occupied with or full of baby.
Other things change too, like where your money goes. "Frivolous" spending is no longer part of my life. It's very difficult. I'm quite used to getting the things I want when I want them and not waiting. Now I have to save to get stuff that I want for me because her needs and priorities are first.
And I think that's the biggest change of all. You really are no longer first in your own life anymore. You have a little being who needs you 100% of the time for everything and whatever you may want or wish will often be put off due to whatever it is they need coming first. It's a difficult balance because you do still need to take care of yourself, and your relationship, but many times that is all secondary to your child.
At any rate, as you can see, change and children go hand in hand :) Enjoy those changes because that's life now, and it will help you grow. Embrace it!
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