Being a Parent is Like...

Being a parent is like staying up all night to go clubbing with your friends, eating and drinking too much, waking up the next morning hung over and bloated but thinking to yourself "That was totally worth it" as you slug down two Tylenol with your morning coffee.

There is nothing like being a parent. You find that the pains of labor, the sleepless nights, the messy house, the nagging parents/in-laws, and the temper tantrums are totally worth watching a new life grow and experience the world for the first time. It is truly magical.

As I watch Richard grow and deal with all of the things toddlers go through, like teething and temper tantrums, I find myself praying more and looking towards the saints for guidance. I especially find the lives of Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin (both of whom will be canonized together on October 18, 2015) very inspiring. They loved each other very much, both ran successful businesses, and raised 5 godly women, one of whom has also be canonized a saint (Therese of Lisieux) and another who is on the road to canonization (Leonie Martin). Now THAT is just plain awesome.

All I can do as I drink my morning coffee is hope my kid will actually allow me to get some housework done that day. I'm taking it one day at a time, but I think that I am adjusting well to my role as a wife AND as a parent. Instead of having one man vying for my love and attention, I now have two!

The thing I find most challenging is making sure my husband receives the affection that he needs. The fact that I work full time during the day and he works most evenings can make finding 'alone time' difficult. That is just the nature of the beast. Yet, in the end, we savor the little time that we do have together.

If you're pregnant for the first time and wondering how you will make things work, just know that you will eventually settle into a new routine and you'll find yourself thinking "Wow, did I really used to sleep in until 10:00 on Saturday mornings then take an afternoon nap a few hours later? Did we really go to the movies every weekend? It seems so foreign now..."

Yes, life and habits change when a baby comes. But, in the end, you'll say to yourself "It was totally worth it" as you slug down two Tylenol with your morning coffee.