6 Eye-Opening Mommy Truths (#6 is going to surprise you!)

1. Being a parent is much harder than I thought.

I have amazing, sweet kiddos, but it doesn’t mean parenting is a cake walk. In fact, the only thing I’m sure about from day to day is that there’s never a dull moment. From dining out to road trips, you really never know what’s going to happen. Meltdowns at Target? Been there! Baby just had a blow-out in the last clean outfit? Done that! 

I didn’t realize how much I judged parents before I was one. But now, I totally see how you gotta do what you gotta do to survive. So, to the mom I used to judge for giving her kid an iPad at a restaurant or giving them candy for a moment of silence, I’m sorry! I know you love your kid and are doing the best you can right now. 

2) My heart's capacity is greater than I ever thought.

Have you seen the original Grinch Who Stole Christmas? Remember when the Grinch’s heart grows to 3 times it’s size… 

Well, that’s how I felt the first time my dear Ava Grace snuggled her warm little body up to my chest. My heart swelled like I never imagined. Immediately, I was hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with her. My love knows no bounds for my precious girls and there’s nothing I wouldn’t sacrifice for them. 

I used to be all about ME….shopping for ME, getting MY nails done, having ME time, getting MY beauty rest. Don’t get me wrong, I still love being pampered and wearing cute clothes (what girl doesn’t?). However, I get more of a kick from watching my daughter twirl with delight in a new dress I bought her or gaze at her freshly painted toes with a Cheshire grin on her face. Those are the moments that bring me most joy. So while I may forgo certain luxuries for myself, it’s not a “sacrifice” to me. Seeing them happy means more to me than anything I could buy for myself. 

This comes with a flip side, which brings me to point #3…

3) Being a mom is scary!

Being a parent opens the gate of your heart to more intense emotions than you’ve ever previously felt. You’ll feel greater joy…greater worry…greater excitement…greater fear. Everything is amplified, because the depths of your love are amplified. You could really go down a rabbit hole here if you’re not careful, so I try not to let my mind stay here for long, but this world can be a very scary place. 

Bad things can happen to good people. I know that God is in control and has my back no matter what, so I cling to my faith when issues arise that I have no control over. At the end of the day, you can’t live in fear.

4) I’m not naturally patient…but I’m working on it.

Ever yelled at a 20 month old? Ummm…me neither. Hypothetically, if I had, I wouldn’t be proud of it. 

Dealing with little people day in and day out has it’s challenges. These are thoughts that go through my head on any given day…

“Really? You’re crying hysterically because I cut your apple?…Throwing a tantrum because I made you wear pants?…You didn’t have to pee 5 minutes ago when I asked you…but now that you’re buckled in your carseat and we’re running late you have to?…OK, just take a deep breath, hold in your frustration. Remember, you’re dealing with a three year old…”

I have to remind myself that these little people have big emotions, and not being able to convey them or have control over the situation is equally frustrating to them. I know I’m not always the perfect mom, but I’m doing me best and have to remember to look at things from their perspective, too. 

5) I’ve never been so tired in my life! 

I was one of the lucky ones whose babies slept through the night from a young age. I thought “I have the golden ticket!” I was under the impression that once your baby sleeps through the night, you’re home free! 

Boy was I naive! The joke’s on me, because I actually sleep less now than when my girls were younger. While they only woke for nighttime feedings for a couple months as newborns, as toddlers/preschoolers they now wake up because they’re scared, teething, have to go potty, etc. 

I’ve basically given up getting much sleep for this season of my life. This too, shall pass. And I know once this season has passed, I’ll miss it for so many reasons. So for now, I’ll just roll with it. That’s what espresso and eye cream are for, right?

Part of the reason I’m so tired is because of #6…Last, but certainly not least:

6) I’ve never been so driven in my life.

Time is my most precious commodity right now. I want to spend as much time as possible with my girls, being a mom, teaching them about life, etc. I want to be there for my daughters’ gymnastics competitions, swim meets, soccer games, etc. We need two incomes, so staying at home isn’t an option for me. 

Recently, the dayshift position I’d held for 6 years at my hospital was phased out and my only option was an evening shift job which includes working holidays and every other weekend. It’s been a big transition and really prompted me to think about what I want career and family-wise. They say everything happens for a reason, so here’s my silver lining…

I’d recently finished being a participant in a fitness accountability group and it was a life changing experience to say the least! Coaching is an amazing opportunity because it marries my passion for fitness with income and the ideal work-life balance. My ultimate goal (that’s still kind of scary for me to say out loud) is to become a full-time health and fitness coach/blogger. It’s my true passion and I know it’s something I’m meant to do. I see the potential in this business and it’s exciting. 

So here I am, building a business, without even having a business class under my belt! I’m learning it all as I go, a la YouTube and Google. And to be honest…I’m kind of having a blast doing it! Yes, there are days I want to quit and feel like I’m not making any progress. But then I have days where I hear about my client’s losing 25 pounds or someone tells me I changed their life or I hit a milestone in my business and it refuels me to keep going on this emotional roller coaster ride. 

So, I will continue to work two jobs, NICU nurse and fitness coach/blogger, even though it means making sacrifices right now. I know these small habits I’m performing consistently will add up over time to great dividends. I will continue to burn the midnight oil because my driving force is my family, and there’s no stronger motivator than that. 

Enough about me! How about you?! What mommy truths have you discovered along your journey? What has surprised you most about being a parent? I’d love to hear your thoughts!