Bursting Bubbles

There are times in life when I feel the need to bestow some of the things I have learned on those around me.  Whether you care to hear it, or not, or really, blatantly disagree, I don't really care.  I think as mothers we have a tendency to do ourselves an injustice.  I'm going to clear something up, right here and now...

MOTHERHOOD IS HARD.

There, I said it.  I don't regret it. 

Nobody wants to say it, because while its likely the hardest thing you'll ever do, it is really rewarding, (so they tell me) so we suck it up and do it because we know it's for the best.  That doesn't change the fact that sometimes...  oh baby... sometimes...  it just makes you want to drink. 

Firstly, I want to talk about men.  Men will likely never fully understand, unless of course, they stay at home permanently.  They are wired differently, so although they get good tastes of it sometimes, it's really not the same.  Husband, overall, is great.  He drives me bananas if he so much as hints that I need to clean the house more (Let's get something straight first...  he's a neurotic neat freak who rarely hangs up his jacket).  I tried to explain to him once what my day looked like and he said "well, I never realized having kids was such a burden".  He was being sarcastic, but I looked at him and said "OF COURSE IT IS!"

It's a burden I will gladly bear, but that doesn't make it any less bulky. 

I try to have patience with him...  it takes them longer, and like I said, men are wired differently.  While we look at a baby and think "laundry, diapers, reading, teaching, comforting, feeding, disciplining... etc", their brains are sirens, screaming "I MUST PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY".   Especially in the case of stay-at-home moms.  They are the sole provider and I can see how that might be a bit nerve-wracking.  Their job is important too, but different.  I'm jealous sometimes that Husband gets to go to work.  Seems like a relaxing place to be. 

That's the other thing.  Isolation.  We women are talkers, we like to be social, have conversation.  When we find ourselves in a situation where the only other person we can talk to doesn't speak English, and usually just looks at you and drools, it gets lonely.  You find yourself talking to yourself (under the guise of talking to the baby) just to hear an adult voice.  It's rough. 

We can do it though.  We are made to triumph and survive and someday we'll get to kick those babies out of the nest.  The way I figure it... as long as I can stay one day ahead of Girl, I'm doing ok.  She doesn't need to know.  I'll always be the smartest, most wonderful, loving mom to her.   I'll screw up, sure, but I won't tell her until she has a baby under her arm, and dark circles under her eyes.