How Motherhood Changed Me - Part I

I never could have imagined how becoming a mother might change my life in so many ways. I wanted to have children for so long, and in such a short amount of time, I had two. My opinion is that there is never a perfect time to have a baby. You're never ready, no matter if you think you really are. There are so many obstacles, so many changes to overcome. My life was definitely turned upside-down, and I have to say, it is so much better now than ever before. Before I had Bea and Olivia, I didn't think my life would change as much as it has. Three points in case being:

Sleep. I loved my sleep so much. I used to get at least 8 hours of it a night, and sometimes a nap. Maybe I was completely oblivious, but I thought that when you had a baby they instantly slept a full eight hours a night and knew the difference between night and day. Of course, I was in for a very rude awakening with Bea. With Olivia, I knew what I was in for and it was so much easier. But, oh my gosh, I never expected to get as little sleep as I have the past couple of years. And the weird thing about it all? It's no big deal. Well, it isn't anymore. It took a long time to adjust, and still some nights when I am awoken by one of the girls, it is so hard, but not as hard as a baby who is completely awake and needs to be fed and then getting that baby back to sleep. I've learned to live with it, and it's not too bad. I tend to feel more tired if I'm not awoken by one of them. Also, even though I hate to do it, I know I can function off of three hours a sleep a night. I've been there. I've done that. I don't like doing it, but sometimes it does happen. I also know that someday I will get my sleep again.

Limited Alcohol. This goes in part with the whole sleeping thing. Even a glass of wine makes me so tired. If I know I am going to have to wake up in the middle of the night for a child, it makes it that much harder to get up. And it also makes me so much more tired the next day. I know that soon I'll feel better about that and will enjoy the occasional cocktail in the evening, but for now, drinking is reserved for when the girls are spending the night elsewhere.

Sliding Friendships. A lot of my friendships are no longer. I've said it before and I will say it again. Sometimes people just don't understand how much time a family can take out of you. I'm not saying that all the people I know that don't have kids are like this. I still have some of those that I talk to all the time and see now and then, that do understand and know what I am feeling. But, there are those that don't. And those are pretty much gone, unfortunately, as it is too hard for me to make the effort anymore. I have often felt that until those people do have kids, then they will understand what I have been going through. And, if they really knew what I was going through with all the post partum stuff and trying to figure things out and being responsible for these little beings, that they would understand more. But, I've given up on some of them, and I am pretty sad about that. I am grateful for the people that are still in my life and who still reach out, even if I don't have the time to do it myself. Thanks, friends.

Part I - Complete. I love being a mom, and I like mostly how it's changed me. I am still the same for the most part. I mean, who would really want to give up this on Saturday and Sunday mornings: