Oreo crumbs are sprinkled in between my sheets, left behind from an in-between-nursing-session snack. I wore two different shoes out to run errands. I tried to pay for much-needed caffeine at Starbucks with my zoo membership card. I forgot to dress my oldest child in orange on her very first spirit day where everyone was wearing orange. My youngest has been borrowing diapers at daycare the last two days because I repeatedly forget to bring more. My middle child has shown up to preschool with the same stamps on his arms for the third day in a row. I lost track of how many days it had been since I showered last. And then I went one more day.
I’m drowning in motherhood.
Listen here folks, motherhood ain’t no joke! I say that playfully with a subtle laugh, but quite seriously, as we mamas know, it’s the honest to goodness truth. We just had our third child…and by “just” I mean seven months ago. I don’t even know how that is possible, but when you’re completely immersed and barely treading water through the months of infancy, you look up and suddenly realize you’re two months behind on taking monthly photos and it actually has been seven months since that incredible birth of the third child.
Whether it is your first child, second child, third child, or if-you’re-brave-enough-to-enter-the-uncharted-territory-of-more child, motherhood can be very overwhelming.
There are sleepless nights. There are yellow poop explosions consisting of who knows what that are larger than ever imaginable. There are days and days of teething. There are toddlers pulling at legs while rocking babies simultaneously. There are tantrums. There are older sibling fights. There are spilled drinks and crushed crackers. There are fevers and vomiting and boo boos. There are sports schedules and play date schedules and work schedules. There are mean friends and naughty friends. There are birthday parties stacked upon more birthday parties. And just when you think you have had all that you can handle, there is sleep regression.
But don’t give up just yet.
The ebb and flow of motherhood is just the remedy you need. About that time you are ready to call it quits and escape to a tropical paradise in the middle of nowhere forever, there will be gassy first smiles. There will be giggles. There will be first words and little hands clapping. There will be milestones after milestones. There will be tiny sports uniforms and first sports games. There will be recitals and performances. There will be first teeth and first lost teeth. There will be high-fives and “I love you Mommy”s. There will be big sibling hugs and baby kisses. There will be laughter from the entire family gathered around the dinner table. There will be playdates with mothers that completely get what you’re going through because they are right there with you. There will be best friends that make your child the happiest. There will be birthday parties to mark yet another year of the wonderful life that is motherhood.
And some day, one day, there might actually be sleep.
