Life With A Baby is turning 10. To celebrate, we are excited to share with you insights from 10 different Moms, answering 10 questions honestly.
Summer C
Summer is a first-time Mom from Niagara
Falls to a beautiful, stubborn baby boy and is a Stepmom
to an equally as beautiful, sweet girl. She is currently on maternity leave until
September. She loves to curl up and browse through Amazon for great toys and
baby things, while watching her guilty pleasure channel TLC.
1. How would you
describe yourself before having a baby?
I was more spontaneous. I wanted to go and do so
many things. Go out for drinks, go to the casino, go shopping. I had very
different priorities. Get the renos done
with our house. Go to work and have fun with my husband. Buy a bottle of wine
after work and just chill out. Stay up until stupid times watching movies or
drinking or talking.
2. How would you
describe yourself after having a baby?
I'm more reserved now. I was orderly before, but now with my son,
I have a schedule. Instead of drinks, its a coffee. Instead of the casino, it's
baby talk groups. Instead of shopping for me, its diapers and wipes and baby
food. My priorities are not renos. It's
putting together the new exersaucer. Now
I don't go to work. I go to a crib to work for the wonderful baby I've brought
into this world. I still have fun with my husband, it's just spent together on
the couch with two wonderful children between us instead of a pool table. And I
do stay up, But I'm watching a baby monitor, drinking a big glass of water and
talking about the newest struggle or newest skill baby James has acquired.
3. What is one thing you miss about your
pre-baby life?
In a way, I miss not having someone depend on me and not having
to worry about someone else's well-being but my own. Don't get me wrong. I love
my son and I wouldn't change that for the world. But I do sometimes miss not
having to do laundry every day so we both
have clean clothes that aren't spit up on; being able to sleep for however long I wanted.
4. What is one thing you wish someone prepared
you for, when it comes to Motherhood?
The emotions. The baby blues were horrendous. Going from being excited, to depressed, to angry, to flat all in 10 minutes. I thought I was
going crazy. And I wish someone prepared me for PPD. But There isn't much help
or talk about that until, most times, it's too late and you think you're going
crazy yelling at your husband and crying while you hold your baby at 3 in the
morning.
5. How has Motherhood changed you?
I'm more reliable
now. I need to be reliable. I can't just flake or run away when there's a
problem. More time oriented. I now truly see the meaning behind taking all the pictures. Wanting dinner
time to be family time. I now know that its okay to ask for help. That I need
it sometimes. Even if I don't want it.
6. Do you feel like you have “balance”
in your life and why?
HA! Balance? What's that? For me,
since I chose to breastfeed, the scales all weigh closer in my son's direction.
I do get loads of help from my family and especially my husband. But I don't
feel like there's much balance for me and "me time". Unless I forfeit
sleep or a shower (laughs).
7. What helped get you through the
postpartum transition into Motherhood?
My husband and my parents one hundred percent. Having them to
help and talk to was my saving grace. I give kudos to all those women who are
single moms who don't have the support that I did.
8. Motherhood is hard. What gets you
through each day, day after day?
Knowing I have a little person that I'm helping to mould into a human being. Hearing my husband
say that he is proud of me for doing the things that I'm doing to get better.
Seeing the amazing smile from my son next to me first thing in the morning.
Hearing my stepdaughter giggle and coo over her little brother. There are so many things that get me through
the daily struggles like no sleep, sore nipples, and dishes spilling out of the
sink onto the counters.
9. What makes you grateful about
motherhood?
I'm grateful that I get to watch my children grow.
That I created that person or helped to raise that person. That I get to see
their personalities develop. To see my son go from a helpless, tiny being to
slowly becoming his own person. To see my stepdaughter go from a sweet little 4
year old who just started school and was
so shy, to this wonderful first grader who is starting to open up to her
surroundings and see the world differently every day. Watching my son learn to
grab toys and trying to teach him to roll over.
I'm grateful that I get to call them mine. And that
they will be able to say that's my mama/ stepmom.
10. What is one thing you would tell a new or
expecting Mother?
Don’t be scared.
Even though it's easier said than done. When someone asks if you need help WITH
ANYTHING! Take it and let them help! And if you ever feel like something is
wrong, whether it is with you or baby, whether it's how you feel emotionally or
physically. Talk to someone, anyone. You are not alone. There are others who
understand you and love you. There are many people who know you're a wonderful
mom or will be and they want to see you succeed and be happy. I want to see you
succeed and be happy.
