Why I Need to Write this Blog

I took a trip back to the OBGYN's office today. Not for a friendly visit, of course, but for my yearly checkup. I brought my 3 month old, Aubrey, with me because the thought of asking my mom to watch the baby for "just an hour" again just didn't seem right.

My doctor's office is quite large and usually filled with many women awaiting an ultrasound, a glucose test, or the standard pap smear. It's usually pretty quiet, with most women texting away or pretending to read a magazine. So, when I stumbled into the waiting room with an oversized purse hanging off my shoulder, a diaper bag stuffed with every possible thing an infant could need over an hour's time, and a car seat carrier loaded with toys, a blanket, and oh yeah, a baby, I was undoubtedly the center of attention.

As I looked around at the mostly friendly faces, I couldn't help but notice all of the pregnant women. I was hoping they were taking note of the vast difference one month can make. Here they were, sitting alone, holding on to their one, tiny purse, quietly texting their husbands about how they HAVE to have pizza for dinner tonight while they watch American Idol and sitting right across from them is me and Aubrey-- taking up three seats and half the floor space. I wanted to say to them, "See how crazy I look? See how tired I look? See these awesome sweatpants I'm sporting and this ponytail I have to wear because I didn't have time to wash my hair this morning? This will be you next month! I know you're sick of being pregnant, but enjoy every minute you have left to sit through a meal or television show uninterrupted! And if you think you are getting bad sleep now, just wait til your new little one joins you!"

And this, my new cyber friends, is exactly what prompted me to write this blog.

I am writing this blog for all of the women who are thinking about having a baby, pregnant, or are a new mom like me. WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL US HOW MUCH A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING! Now to be fair, I did have almost everyone who had kids warn me that a baby changes everything, but they did not tell me specifics! They did not tell me that sometimes babies don't nap for three hours a day. They did not tell me that when a baby wakes up in the middle of the night, sometimes they are awake for two or three hours straight. They did not tell me that if I am lucky enough to shower, it will take me over two hours to get ready. They did not tell me that every time I get to sit down to finally eat a meal,that this will be the exact time that the baby decides to wake up screaming or will need to be fed.

So my friends, I am writing this blog to tell you HOW a baby changes everything. Because that old saying is just way too vague to mentally prepare anyone for this "adventure". Please come along with me as I laugh and cry my way through the ups and downs of this exciting, scary, exhilarating roller coaster ride of motherhood. It's bound to be quite a ride :)