I Promise You

Life is fleeting

It changes faster than we expect and our kids go from tender little soft skinned bundles of chubby deliciousness

to sassy mouthed know-it-all 

people.

People with thoughts and opinions.

I wish I could go back and have a redo on some of the squishy moments I wished away.

Thankfully our life has little lives in it again.

Little lives that we get to love and snuggle and rock to sleep.

We get to dance with them when they cry.

We get to kiss them all over their faces; for now.

It made me realize things that I didn't enjoy as a mom.

I couldn't wait for them to end.

The sleepless nights

The diapers

The lack of being able to hold a bottle or feed themselves.

I missed so so much.

So, new moms I have some promises for you.

I promise you that the opinion of the internet means nothing.

I know it is overwhelming

I know it makes you feel inadequate sometimes it does me too.

There is much to pour through.

Filter most of it out.

Nobody knows your baby like you do.

I promise you 

that the nights you spend rocking a crying baby wont last forever and when those nights are gone you'll wonder how you ever did it.

I had a baby who cried a lot and he didn't sleep through the night until he was well over one.

I wished he would have and now I wish I could have one more night rocking him while he drank his bottle. 

I wish I hadn't wished it away.

I promise you 

that whether you breast or bottle feed they will be ok.

You'll be ok too.

I promise you

 that they'll want to secretly hold your hand while they fall asleep even when they are 11.

I promise you

 that all mothers feel like they are failing.

You aren't.

I promise 

when they tell you that "you're lousy parents" 

That they really mean they love you.

I promise you

 that the mess in the house doesn't matter.

The sugar and flour spread from the kitchen counter to the floor with eggs whites on the wall will create smiles and memories.

The dishes piled high aren't going anywhere.

The baskets of laundry can wait.

Sit. Read. Play. Rock.

I promise you 

that you can dress you babies in the cutest matchy matchy dresses with tights and ruffle butts and patent leather shoes in hopes that they will forever want to be fancy and frilly and then 

they will want to pick out their own clothes.

You may battle, but eventually you'll raise your white flag and she'll be wearing a swimsuit top over her shirt with jeans and cowgirl boots.

And, it'll be ok even though fellow mothers will look down their nose at you.

Smile and wave and grab your little girls hand.

I promise you

there is no such thing as too many people that love and cherish your kids.

I promise you

they will wreck you physically, mentally and emotionally

and you'll be better for it.

It's a love you have never felt

selfless love

 an ache deep in your belly when you miss them 

and you wont even care that your boobs hang low.

Ok you might, but it'll be worth it.

I promise you 

before you know it

your baby will be wearing size 7 mens shoes and wearing deodorant or heading into the double digits with the hair you've always dreamed of.

They'll still want you to tuck them in tight and kiss them goodnight, but never kiss them in front of their friends.

I promise you

You're doing better than you think.

Enjoy every single moment.

They wont be little very long.

Blessed Is Me...