Equal parts work and joy

A friend of mine recently had a baby. Visiting her and her husband, and the new baby, both in the hospital and at home, reminded me of my first days as a mom. I can recall just as if it were yesterday the overwhelming feelings of love, responsibility, and cluelessness.

A friend on my moms' forum shared this awesome blog that captures her view on the true nature of motherhood. Her words about the experience being both more amazing and more horrible at times (thank you sleep deprivation and hormones) than one could ever imagine really resonated with me.

While mothering a preschooler feels easier than the constant demands of an infant, it presents its own set of challenges. Lu is a strong-willed child, and is quick to anger or grow frustrated when things don't go her way. As much as I try to reason with her, this is a difficult concept for a four year old. Some days, I end the day nearly as exhausted as I felt as when I had a new baby. But this is less frequent these days, and I feel that I am able to regain parts of myself that I lost when she was very young, such as spending time to read for fun. Thankfully, Lu gives me something to smile at, laugh at, and be proud of every single day. It is such a joy and privilege to watch the person develop in front of your eyes.