… well, actually, it does, a little.
Shot glasses have been replaced by sippy cups and plastic spoons (which get mixed up with the coffee spoons).
The cozy corner has been taken over by a playpen and a swing.
The guest room has become the baby’s room. (Read: Drunk friends are no longer welcome to sleep over.)
The millions of pairs of shoes in the trunk of my car have been replaced by a stroller.
Toys have taken the place of candles around the bathtub.
I’d like to tell you that becoming a mother hasn’t changed me, but I’m afraid that’s not the case.
That said, I’m doing my very best to remain the friend, girlfriend, sister, and aunt I used to be. I’m trying to juggle all these roles. I need to know that I’m not just a mother and that I, too, have the right to take time to do what I enjoy with the people I love. Ungrateful as I am, I refuse to give myself up completely.
Deep down, what I want to tell you is: don’t panic. It’s normal to freak out when the baby arrives—to think you’ll never have a social life again or to worry that you won’t be allowed to think about yourself, just yourself. YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT.
Sometimes your baby will fall asleep. When that happens, you don’t have to sleep or do housework. You can take the opportunity to check Facebook, read a good book, watch your favorite show—anything! You can even have friends over and have a little drink once your little one is in bed (lucky you—they go to bed early!).
It’s possible to be a mom and still have fun in life! In my opinion, a baby should be an added bonus to your life, not a burden. Sure, sometimes it complicates things a little—that’s true.
We go to bed a little earlier, yes.
Going out is a bit of a hassle when you have to warm up a bottle.
You stop a little more often during long car rides.
You end up bringing a lot more stuff with you when you go out.
We come into contact with more gross stuff, let’s say.
But you know, you get used to all that. Life goes on. Here are some examples of times when our baby has been a real blessing in our lives:
-We took our 2-month-old baby to our annual sugar shack outing with our friends. It was nice to see them.
-We also took him on a day trip to go camping (not overnight—that’s too complicated for me!).
-We took him out to a restaurant: we were served faster!
-We hiked up a mountain this weekend with the stroller. It was a lot more of a workout, but so much more rewarding!
I’m not saying you’ll never wonder what you were thinking when you decided to have a kid—especially in the first few days, maybe. I wondered that myself. I felt bad, but then I changed my mind and forgave myself. Just don’t forget about yourself in the midst of it all. Your baby needs a happy mom above all else!
P.S. Plus, it gives you the right to go see kids’ movies at the theater without feeling guilty, you know!