Things I Miss From Pre-Motherhood Days...

When I was pregnant, I had an ever-growing list of things that I miss about being not pregnant. Now that I am past that stage, I have an ever growing list of things that are just not the same now that I am a mother. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't go back to my pre-motherhood days if you paid me... but everything is different! I KNEW it would be different, but I didn't realize how even the smallest things have changed. 

• Running to the store.... or anywhere. Before having Hunter in tow, I could run up to the store, pop into the yogurt shop and grab a cup of my favorite frozen treat, take a sporadic nap, meet Tim for dinner.... you name it. I could get up and go. Now, I have to time things just right with Hunter's sleeping and eating habits, make sure I have a change of clothes, diaper change goodies, pre-pumped milk (I am terrible at breast feeding on the go...), burp rags, etc. I like to make sure the car has run for a few minutes, because in this terrible Texas heat, my car would be 1000 degrees if we were to just jump in and try to go. 
• The Pop-In: I mentioned above that I can't just pop in to the frozen yogurt shop. Really, you can't just pop in anywhere! You have to unload the baby, find a cart to put the car seat in, and hope that he is happy all the while. That being the case, you pretty much need to make sure that you really NEED to go up to Target. Just to buy that mascara? No thanks. I can go without until my Target shopping list is a little longer! 
• Being on time. I am either late or early, depending on how much running around the house I had to do prior to getting him in the car. Did he all of a sudden act starving right before I left the house? Then that means I either need to heat a bottle of precious pre-pumped milk, or just nurse him. That means at least 30 minutes until I can actually leave the house. Just today, I was 45 minutes early to lunch. He had just eaten and fallen asleep so rather than put him down somewhere to transport him to the car seat later, I strapped him in right then. That woke him up a little so we had to get into the car to lull him back to sleep before he fully woke up. If I would have waited, he would have screamed then not fallen back to sleep. Would I rather get to a place super early, or on time with a fussy baby? Yes, that meant if you saw a black Murano driving circles around the block or parking lot  trying to run over as many bumpy street reflectors as I could just so that I didn't walk in 45 minutes early... that was probably me.
• Sleep. People say, "Stock up on sleep before the baby comes!".... but, you can't really do that. I think what they mean is, "Enjoy sleeping while you can do it whenever you want". I have slept less that 6 hours each night since he has been home, and those hours are certainly not consecutive. What was that? Take a nap? Sure, just as long as Hunter is asleep as well. Then you look around the house and see laundry and cleaning that needs to be done and you have to make that decision. The other day, I got him to sleep, pumped, loaded one load of laundry, set another load on 'dewrinkle' for the 5th time that week, then laid down in bed. Five minutes later, he was awake.
• Wearing what I want. Now I have to make sure that it is nursing friendly. Can I take down one side at a time easily or will I have to yank the whole thing over my head and sit in my living room feeding him with just a bra on?
• Eating what I want. I thought pregnancy limited your options. That was nothing compared to being a nursing momma. Chocolate, citrus foods, spicy foods, dairy, soy, broccoli and onions (yuck), the list goes on and on for foods that will upset baby's tummy. 

I am sure there are many more, but I feel like I am painting that terrible picture of motherhood. It is NOT all bad stuff and sitting around missing your old life. There are so many things that are amazing and wonderful about motherhood. Sometimes, while I am looking at him I almost cry. He is just so perfect.... and I grew him. One night started a while chain of events in my belly, and 10 months later I have a fully functioning baby who is right on track with life. His eyes are gorgeous. I can see some of my family traits in him as well as some features of his daddy. He looks up at me while eating and I can just tell he loves me and needs me. And 10 months ago he didn't even exist. You know the song by George Strait, I Saw God Today? I know EXACTLY what he is singing about now. There is not one long nap, yogurt shop pop in, trip up to the Galleria that could ever make me think of going back to my old life. I may be tired, and in comfy pants all day, and seriously craving certain foods, but this is my new life, and I love it!


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