Sunday, July 21, 2013

Parenthood


I've been thinking a lot about parenthood lately. My best friend is pregnant. My good friend Jen just visited with her daughter. Preston is GUNG HO on having kids...and I'm kind of like: 



That just sounds like a loooottt of work. I think if everyone had a pragmatic view of what parenthood will be like...we'd be doomed as a species. But, instead...functioning adults think to themselves:

"Why have a nice, quiet dinner together---sipping wine and talking---when we could be attending to a screaming toddler who needs to use the bathroom repeatedly and dumps his chicken on the floor??"-true story...this happened to me once in the Bahamas with my cousins. I was completely unprepared for eating out with two toddlers (BY MYSELF), who alternatively needed the restroom and refused to keep their food on their plates. I think my Aunt and Uncle set me up? Let's just say after about 20 mins...we got to-go boxes and went back to the hotel. (Frankly, I think at 22...I did pretty well to make it to 20 mins with a 2 year old and a 4 year old. Is there an award I can get for this?).

"Who wants to go home after work and kick back with a good book? Instead, we could have endless piles of laundry and dishes that we'll never get to, because the baby is crying"

"This trip to the grocery store is entirely too easy. I'd much rather be wrangling a stroller and chasing a 4 year old down the aisles or better yet!!-Dealing with a temper tantrum in the check out line!! It makes you feel ALIVE"

"These easy weekend mornings spent drinking tea in quiet solitude...BORING!! I'd rather be woken by someone jumping on my stomach demanding cereal at 5am."

:)

Yes, yes...I know...children bring so much fulfillment and joy to your life. They improve the quality of all things. They make holidays fun and magical again. They give you a sense of accomplishment. I can see the brightsides too...but more so, I just see the screaming child in front of me in line and feel really terrible for his/her mother. Once we have the 3+ children that Preston has written into his prenup (kidding), I'm sure I'll change my tune and become completely obsessed with my child ad nauseam to all my friends/family on facebook/instagram and this blog. You can all remind me then ;) 

For now I leave you with this little gem from my friend Jen---a single mother raising a toddler. This was her answer when asked if she was dating or just focusing on her daughter:

"Well Georgia is my first priority, but I definitely need more than this relationship. I'm the bitch. She kicks me when I'm down. She OWNS me." 

hahahaha. Awesome. Thanks Jen for the perfect dose of reality!! 




3 comments:

  1. Hahaha - hilarious. I'm sure most women feel this way pre-baby. Doesn't seem worth it. Amazing how much two little lines on a pregnancy test will change your mind. :)

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  2. This is exactly how I feel. Just not ready to be the bitch yet!

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    Replies
    1. I remember you writing something similar :D I'm with ya!! My Mom swears it's a 'you don't know till you know thing'. We'll see ;)

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