A few months ago, a friend told me she was taking a step back from social media. One of her reasons is that she was seeing a lot of content that was around parents saying how hard and, at times, awful it was to have children. Once she said that, I started seeing it, too. The occasional meme makes me laugh because it can be #relatable, but I do cringe a little at the sheer amount of tik toks and reels of parents talking about how having kids is horrible. (They don't come out and say this, usually, but it's heavily assumed).
Is it hard at times? Yes. Am I exhausted by 7:30 pm and ready for his bedtime so that I can have a little time to do something I want to do ? Yes.
But the good far outweighs the bad. So here I am, to tell you the best parts of having a kid. So far. Since mine is only 1 and a 1/2.
How excited he gets to see me, running into my arms when I pick him up from daycare or the nursery at church.
Watching him learn new words and new skills. It seems he does something *new* every week.
His curiosity and wonder- always checking out the scene, testing new waters, and in awe of anything new. Being able to see the world through his eyes is magical.
That I (and Tom) are his entire world. We are the comfort, the fixers, the ones who keep him safe. I know this won't last forever, so right now I cherish it.
Watching him interact with our family, friends, and his little friends at daycare.
Seeing his personality start to form and picking up on his little quirks. Sometimes, he's timid. Sometimes, he's fearless. I think it's okay to be both.
How proud he is of himself when he does something on his own, like put the right puzzle piece in the puzzle. He beams with a smile and it melts my heart every. time.
The snuggles, kisses, hand holding. Again, I know those won't last forever.
Being able to be on this journey with Tom. We can look at each other and smile when we see Z doing something new or funny. We send each other photos of him. We take turns doing the "dirty" work and thank each other for doing it. I love our little family and watching us ALL grow and learn as we figure it out together.
Being a mom is hard, yes. But it is also the most joyful, fulfilling experience I will ever have. I know that with every new stage, there will be things that are hard, but there will be things that are beautiful and exciting. And THAT is something to look forward to, while I also do my best to live in this moment now. He will never be 19 months old again. I will hold these moments close.
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