before i was a mom

I'm usually not one for sap, but so many things in these words rang true for me. In fact, it's all true. So, please forgive my sappiness for one quick moment and delight in all things “mom”.

(Jana, my friend, get ready...because ready or not...here baby comes! It's going to be wonderful.)

Before I was a mom,
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry about whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Wet on.
I had more control over my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a mom,
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could take x-rays.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the tears.
I never knew something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a mom.

Before I was a mom,
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know of the bond between a mother and child.
I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a mom.
I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much,
Before I was a mom.

Looking back on the last three years, it truly is amazing all of the things I've learned from being a mom. Nothing could have or ever would have prepared me for what was to come...and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.