A Mother's Love

 Being a mother is one of the hardest jobs in the world.  It is a full time job from sun up to sun down, and you get to do it seven days a week.  Even if you are lucky enough to get a break from your children, they are still in your thoughts and potentially causing you a little worry.

From the moment you find out you are pregnant, excitement and worry seem to start almost immediately.  "Will my baby be okay?  Will it be a boy or a girl?  What will my mate think?"  and the list goes on. 

Then the baby arrives, and you count his toes and fingers to make sure they are all there.  Usually there is excitement beyond your wildest dreams!  Hard to believe you created such a perfect little creature.  

You're excited to get your baby home and into the nursery that you meticulously created while waiting.  There's probably a little fear creeping in.  "What happens if I can't do this?  Will I be a good mom?"

Your whole life changes.  You knew it would change, but you didn't realize something as simple as taking a shower would require a new routine.

Each night you put your baby to sleep, you hope that tonight they will sleep through the night.  Of course you won't get the good night sleep you are hoping for, because you will still be hopping up, making sure your prized possession is still breathing. 

You get beyond the infant stage and you enter into the toddler stage.  You know that stage where they are getting into everything, throwing temper tantrums, and causing you more stress than you care to admit.  You are looking forward to getting beyond the two's and possibly even the three's.  You are looking forward to the day your child can sit still for more than five minutes.

Of course life doesn't stop because you gave birth to another human being.  You still have to clean the house, and go to work, and manage the household like you did before.  If you are blessed enough to be a stay-at-home mom, you realize it's still a full-time job, no matter what anyone says.  

So you do the best you can.  You try to make sure your child gets the proper nutrients.

You try to make sure they have a cool place to play and sleep.

You make sure they get to school on time. 

You make sure they are bathed, 

and in the bed at a decent hour.

Sounds easy enough, right?  Insert laughter here.  Of course you will have your challenges.  After all, these are little human beings, who have their own thoughts, feelings, and opinions.  And these thoughts and feelings develop as they grow. 

There will be times when you will be overwhelmed, trying to work and raise a healthy child, especially if you are a single mother.  

You will on more than one occasion have to argue with your child about a particular outfit.  This can start as early as 2, and take you through the teen years.

You will need to teach your child how to properly use the public restrooms.  Can you say "squat"? 

You will have many occasions where you have to "get to the bottom of something".

"Getting to the bottom of something", takes on a whole new meaning when dealing with teenagers who think they are grown.  Sorry to say those tough teen years can last from age of 12 - 18.  This may indeed be your most challenging times.   Might be a good idea to pull out those baby pictures and remember those glorious feelings you had then.  This might keep you from strangling your teen, who you no longer recognize as a rational human being.

You will have more parent-teacher conferences than you thought humanly possible.

On rare occasions, hopefully, you may even find yourself in the principal's office dealing with a serious issue.

Through it all, if you remember to hug and kiss your children often, this will make it better for everyone.  Those hugs and kisses will be remembered and hopefully passed on to your grandchildren.  

If you survive the trials and tribulations of motherhood, you can look forward to one of the best jobs in the world.  That of grandma!

Happy Mother's Day!!!