Monday, April 6, 2009

The Parenting Conspiracy

It's starting to all make sense to me. I remember the day after Jeff and I got married, a distant relative on his side of the family blurted out something about turning Jeff's parents into grandparents... we hadn't even been married 24 hours. Why were people encouraging babies already?

When we got pregnant with Jacob, it was like those we loved were pregnant right along with us. The happiness and excitement was enough to make a girl want 100 kids. And after he was born, forget it! It was like the world came out of the woodwork with love and support and listened to every tale of spit up and every tear after another sleepless night. But I'm realizing now, it wasn't because everyone was so darn happy for us.

It's because we were about to be as beaten down as they were!

If you haven't had a kid yet, let me tell you something. Everyone and their mother will offer you advice... "sleep when the baby sleeps"... "white noise will calm him"... "drink a beer to produce breast milk." (ok that one I enjoyed.) But no one will tell you that those cute little cuddly baby days last like two minutes and soon you're parenting a toddler, or preschooler, or a kid who's about to enter KINDERGARTEN.

(breathe)

Enjoy those infomercial-watching late nights, the bi-weekly trips to Sears portrait studios because you don't want to miss a moment, and the thrill of the first steps and words. I remember thinking how hard it was to be home with two kids under two who were on two totally different schedules. And it was. But I'm starting to see why my sisters would smirk when I would be exhausted and stressed out. They knew that it only gets more and more complicated. In fact, they're probably reading this now and are 100% positive that the worries I have now are the same ones I'll be begging to have back in just a few short years.

The scariest part? I know that they're right.

5 comments:

Stellan Bracelets said...

Actually, once they're all school aged, it gets easier. I look back now, and I KNOW it was harder then!

I miss the baby days, not because life with 7/10/12 is harder, but because the baby days are so precious and disappear in the blink of an eye... late night infomercials, spitup and all.

Linney said...

my son is only 3, but oh my goodness, i miss the baby days. it feels like yesterday that we brought him home, and it has flown by so quick.

momwithfaithandhope said...

I don't know how you do it, but you come up with these amazing posts. Couldn't agree more - it's a conspiracy! But glad I'm on the other side now and can "encourage" those who aren't parents to join us! Great reminder to enjoy these ever-so-tiring, but special days before they're mouthing off and driving away!

cousin deb said...

Oh cousin, you are so right. I remember when my boys were little and people would say "I miss that age"....I would think clearly they had rocks in their head because they can't possibly remember what "this age" is like. Well now that I have one in high school and the other two are growing, I can look at your kids and honestly say "I miss that age"!

tam said...

Nay! I don't believe it!

Actually, I don't stay home, and I miss every day. Is it still called nostalgia if you long for the present?

I'm really looking forward to being able to have a conversation with my kids, but I do love this stage.

Tell us more about it!