Mom life: the reality

There are some really great things about being a mom to a newborn. Holding your baby for the first time. Smelling their sweet hair after a bath. Snuggles first thing in the morning. Watching their eyes light up when they see you. Snuggles before bed. Dressing them up in impossibly cute outfits. Snuggles anytime really.

And, there are some things that aren't so great. Middle of the night feeds. Gas and colic. Blowout poopy diapers. Missing them when you are apart. Spit-up.

And then there is the stuff that just plain sucks. The exhaustion that comes from night after night of being up. Constant worries about maintaining a milk supply if you do get to sleep longer. Missing them terribly when you go back to work.

As I sit pumping in my car outside Babies R Us after rushing in to buy replacement parts for my breast pump because I left half my supplies sitting in my office when I rushed out to accomplish the staggering To Do List that is my "afternoon off", I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the reality of motherhood. 

It isn't all frills and cuddles and perfection. It's stress and fatigue and constantly being confronted with failure. 

Is it all still worth it? Of course, but that doesn't mean it's not hard.