How do you like Motherhood?

It took a while for me and my husband to entertain the thought of kids.  We started dating when we were 19, so when we finally got married everyone expected at kid STAT.  Us on the other hand, we weren't sure. For a while we thought we would be that couple that didn't have any kids. We'd just borrow everyone else's ... that way you can give them back. We weren't even sure if we liked kids.  I remember encountering screaming kids at restaurants and stores and scoffing, "I'm never having kids." My husband would agree.  I think we were more terrified of having kids than just really not liking them.  I wasn't sure I had that mothering gene ... I was pretty selfish.  I loved my beach filled summers, dinners with adult cocktails, and going out for a night on the town.  Surely, if I had a kid my life would come to a screeching halt.  Then the conversation changed to a question, "will we regret not ever having kids of our own?"  I didn't want to be 60 and regret not creating a life that was half me and half my husband.  It was then that we decided to leave it God's hands.  We threw all caution to the wind and if He felt we were meant to be parents then it would happen ... and it did.

I remember always wondering how I'd feel seeing a positive pregnancy test. When it finally happened, I was screaming with excitement and in awe that I was actually going to be a mom.  Sure, I was scared but it was nothing like the fear I manifested.  A short 9 months went by and I was still naive to what motherhood really meant.  Friends, family, even strangers always ask, "How do you like Motherhood?" At first, I thought it was strange ... I mean, of course I liked it.  I wouldn't have consciously made the effort to make a baby if I didn't think I'd like it.  As the months have gone on, that question still gets asked daily by people I come in come in contact with. Coincidentally, it is now one of my favorite questions to answer.

"How do you like Motherhood?" 

The truth is I don't like it ... I love it.  Motherhood is my greatest achievement in life.  There is a little life who relies on my guidance, love, and support to help her grow, learn, and become an independent human being.  A little girl who makes everyday worth living and fills my world with so much love I could burst at the seams.  Her smiles, her cries, her milestones, her triumphs and yes, even her poopy diapers and tantrums give my life so much meaning. Motherhood has given me a makeover ... Not just physically (let's face it, things aren't where they used to be) but mentally and emotionally.  When Mykenzi was born, so was this new self, this new person, this new me.  She is strong and determined, she is a lover, a protector, and intuitive.  She is someone that I'm honored to become ... She is a Mom.  The most important and exceptional title I will ever hold ... and thanks to one special little girl, I hold it with an overwhelming sense of pride.

Baby's Headband//My Headband//Moccasins

... and that is how I like Motherhood.