I often see posts written about motherhood/fatherhood that contain lists of things people wish others had told them about parenting, and to be honest, more often than not, these lists irritate me because they aren’t original in the least. I am quite sure that people did indeed tell almost-moms & dads all sorts of things that the parents decided not to pay attention to.

For instance, if anyone says that no one told them how tired they would be the first few months of a baby’s life, I would claim that these parents simply chose not to listen.
Maybe it’s just the titles of the articles that irk me, I don’t know.

However, there are some aspects of motherhood that no articles or posts or books or any other reading material could have prepared me for (even if they had tried), simply because there aren’t words to express it. And maybe that’s what these other articles are really trying to get at.

There are a few things that no one could have told me about becoming a mom. For instance…

| I knew I’d be tired, but no one could have told me just how painful this tiredness could become. I didn’t realize that I’d get so tired that I could barely think, much less function like a normal human being. I didn’t realize that this tiredness would come, not just because of lack of sleep, but because of breastfeeding. I didn’t fully comprehend that I’d be supporting another human being with my body for long after the pregnancy ended with the birth of a healthy baby.

| I knew I’d love Clara but no one could have explained just how large this love would become, because there are simply no words to describe it. Also, no one told me that it wouldn’t necessarily be love at first sight.

| I knew labor would hurt but no one could have told me how scary it could really be.

| I knew my life would never be the same, but no one could have told me that my entire sense of self would shift and I wouldn’t necessarily recognize who I’ve become.

| I knew people would view me differently once I became a mom, but no one could have told me which friends of mine would drift away once my daughter came into my life, nor for what reasons they’d decide to quit being as friendly.

| People told me that it was important to find mom friends, but no one could have told me just how important these women would become in my life, especially the moms who have babies around the same age as Clara. I could never have known how these moms would make me feel normal at a time when everything seemed so abnormal and new to me.

| I knew taking care of another human being would be hard, but I couldn’t have realized how isolated and upset I would feel when I couldn’t get my daughter to fall asleep in the middle of the night. I couldn’t know how frustrating and exhausting it would be to be the only parent at home while Tim was working out of the state (or the country).

| I knew my schedule would be restricted, but I couldn’t have known that I would be one of ‘those moms’ that tried her very hardest to be at home during nap times, which occurred every 2 hours. No one could have told me that I would find this routine reassuring and calming, because I would feel like I’m able to give Clara structure and provide her with the sleep she needs to grow.

| I knew I would find joy in the everyday occurrences with a baby, but no one could have told me just how many times I’d smile each day, or how proud and amazed I’d be as I watch Clara figure out how to do things on her own.

| People told me that time would fly by, but I couldn’t have known just how fast they truly meant. These first nine months passed in the blink of an eye, and I’m happy to report that I truly loved them and appreciated every second I could with my small but growing baby.

| I knew that I would want to be a good mom, but no one could have described how desperately I would want the world to be better for my small daughter, and how I would try to change in a million ways to ensure that I could be the best person (and mother) for her to grow up around.

| I knew that staying at home all day would be tough for me to do, but no one could have warned me how necessary it truly is to get some adult time in every single day.

| I knew I’d be emotional, but no one could have prepared me for the tears that would happen when I realize my baby is growing up every single day. Sure, I may have heard other moms share this sentiment, but I figured it was ‘those moms’, the hormonal ones, not the ‘normal’ moms like myself.

| I knew I’d love Tim in an entirely different way once he became a dad and I also knew that adding a child to a marriage has its own set of difficulties, but no one could have told me exactly how the arrival of Clara would affect our marriage in so many positive, but also challenging ways.

This motherhood thing, it’s truly an indescribable transformation and journey.