Things people don't tell you about motherhood... and everything that follows.

As a newish mother, I've always wondered about the things that other mothers DON'T tell you about their experiences with infants and toddlers. Yes, I love my son with a love that is so deep, words can't even begin to describe it, but what about the day-to-day things about raising children that will often grate on my last nerve test my patience because God feels my patience needs to be tested?

I see a mother of a child that is close to my age, and I make the mistake of thinking that she probably has it all together and is doing things much better than I ever could. Reality hits me, however, when I realize this mother is probably doing the very best she can, and has the same struggles that I may be having, or entirely different struggles that I somehow manage not to have for some reason. I know I'm trying the best that I can, but I often feel that my best simply isn't good enough.

I look at women who seem to always keep a clean home with healthy, rambunctious children and I think to myself "Why can't I be like that?" "If she can do it, why can't you?" My house, right now, is a wreck, I need to do major cleaning, and I don't have an ounce of drive to do it. I manage to do enough to keep things floating around here, but the thought of doing that while taking care of a one-year-old, working, keeping up with church activities, etc., etc., some things fall by the wayside, that's for sure.

I do wonder why more women don't share their horror  patience-testing stories of their child's infant and toddler years. Granted, that's NOT EVERYTHING you want to hear, but there are days when you're struggling to just float with your child and you think, am I the only one who's thinks they're a failure? It's nice to hear stories from other mothers who have struggled with the same, or different problems. It gives you a sense of knowing you're not alone. Also, if you have come through the other side of a problem, you could give a solution that could POSSIBLY help, keeping in mind that every child is different, and one method for one child probably won't work for another.

I love my son! I do! However, sometimes, I'd like to ship him away to a safe, loving location until the ache in my heart from his lack of presence overwhelms me. Suffice it to say that isn't a very long time!