Sometimes, The Kids Take Care of Me...

I'm sick. I've been sick for days.But today I was worse instead of better. Because clearly the gods of head colds, hate me.

Anyway, my 17 year old son, recovering from his own plague, looked at me and told me that I was allowed to do two things today: sit on the couch and watch tv, or go to bed and watch tv.

And I have to tell you, that's mostly what I did.

That's what I call a Mom win. Which is especially nice if I have to feel like crap.

Of course this was a terrible week to have taken on that Fitbit challenge with my friends.

But that's beside the point.

I realized, as the medication kicked in, that I am living the moment that new moms can't believe is ever coming. But it is. Oh, new moms, it is coming.

I know that right now you may have leaky boobs. I know that you find things that are sticky where things should never be sticky. I know you haven't slept all night in months and that you are the kind of tired that is hard to explain to civilians.

I know that you are on-call 24/7, and that sometimes you are touched so many times in one day that you're not sure you will ever want to anyone to touch you ever again. Like really, ever.

I know that you don't get to clock out and go home. Because even if you have a job outside the home, you're still working long after quitting time.

I know that you keep going when they're sick, when you're sick, or when your partner is sick. And that there's not really such a thing as a sick day for moms.

I know it seems like there will never be a time when they will get up and make their own breakfast, or wipe their own butt,

But let me tell you that it does happen.

Clearly I'm still in the same trenches that you are in many ways. Since my kids range in age from 17 to 3, I'm still working with diapers, sticky fingers, and all the wonder of having young children.

But I've kind of reached the promised land. My oldest child put me to bed. Then he made his brothers breakfast. He made them lunch too.

Still, it's more than just what they're capable of doing as they get older. It's the connection. It's sometimes scary to watch them growing up. You may think that as they get older, that special connection you have with them will go away. But the truth is, when you nurture that connection, it only gets stronger. To the point where I now have kids who see me sick, and want to take care of me.

I wish I could tell new moms to love the place they're in, but know that it won't be so overwhelming forever. And when it stops being so crazy, it doesn't stop being wonderful.

*****
Thanks so much for reading. If you like my blog, please click the banner below to vote for me.