A Promise to Young Moms: It So Gets Better

Last weekend was glorious. You’re expecting I’m going to tell you about some fabulous trip I took or how we partied all night because our kids were at a sitter, right? Wrong. We didn’t go anywhere. In fact, we purposely skipped things because we wanted to stay home. Weird right?
We spent Saturday evening in our yard playing basketball and football with all three kids.

Then, we ordered some pizza and laughed and laughed around the dinner table, with our three kids.

Then, we made s’mores, with our three kids.
After s’mores, we snuggled on the couch in pajamas and watched our new favorite show, because we have one now, we and the kids do.

The Husband and I spent all of Saturday night, not relaxing alone somewhere tropical and not out partying kid-free, but rather surrounded by our little people for all our waking hours.

And it was glorious.

Earlier in the day, I was at a wedding shower relishing the stories of mommies of little ones. The three moms at my table all had kids under four and they swapped many a familiar tale about wacky adventures with toddlers and preschoolers. I found myself missing those days for a second. I mean, there is something dreamy about cuddling little two-footers with a lisp. But then I realized I never want to go back because all the hard work and sleepless nights of those years have totally paid off now that we’re in this cool stage where no one is old enough to hate us yet, but everyone is old enough to sleep past six and make us laugh with real legitimate sense of humour.

The truth is, our babies are grown and they’re people now. Sometimes, that means their problems are bigger, which is exhausting in its own way.  But it also means the fun has grown in kind.

I love our real talks. I love their real jokes. I love the people they have grown into, so much so that I barely remember the years I didn’t sleep, or wear matching outfits or dream of getting out without my kids. Those days were good, in spite of the hard work. These days are great, because of it.

Moms of young ones, lap it up, but don’t worry about what you’re missing, because as great as it is, you still have so much to look forward to.