Being a mom is hard… there I said it. Think about how much has changed in your life since having baby number one, and then again with multiple babies. I can only speak for the one nine-month-old baby I have, but a lot sure has changed. Let’s talk about the difference in a typical day when compared to my “just married with a dog” life.
Mornings… there’s no such thing as sleeping in anymore and if there is you’re usually awake wishing you were still sleeping. No joke, if the baby sleeps later than 6:30 AM, I’m up staring at the monitor wondering if he’s still breathing. This usually leads to me going into his room to check and make sure, and then him waking up. I had a little exposure to the early morning wakeups no matter what time you went to bed routine with our dog Walter. No matter what time he went to sleep, some time around 5 AM he’d be wandering around our room whining. However, getting up and functioning for a baby versus a dog is in no way comparable.
Packing for going anywhere…. a friend recently offered us the option to stay the night at her house in her guest room. I let out a sad laugh at the comment, “just pack a bag.” No longer will our life include leaving on-the-go or without at least one bag because, let’s be real for an overnight visit you need a pack-n-play, food, bottles, 3 changes of clothes, pajamas, diapers, toys, and possibly a stroller, and that’s just for one person.
Who’s gonna watch the baby….. while all of these fun outings sound like a blast whether you’re at home or on the road, you then have to coordinate someone to watch your little one. Luckily, most of our getaways with baby are also with family, who are more than happy to oblige. Occasionally, we end up attending events solo so that one of us still gets to go out on the town while the other one just sits at home while our little man sleeps. The other night my husband asked me to drive him somewhere (he had a couple glasses of wine), and I said, “We can’t leave. The baby is upstairs sleeping.” And he responded, “Oh crap, I forgot.”
Some takeaways from all this…… 1. You have a baby or babies. 2. Your sleep situation will never be the same. 3. You’ll forever be the “bag lady” when going anywhere. 4. Use your family babysitting wisely. If you agree with any and/or all of these points, give a like and share, and cheers!