Adventures in Motherhood

First comes PREGNANCY. When you get pregnant you're either thinking "Holy crap what have we done?!" Or "FINALLY! It's actually happening." People for sure treat you differently when you are pregnant. Compliments, kindness, and advice abound! You (and your husband too) will become so intune with all the nuances of your body, more than you probably ever really wanted to! Some women hate being pregnant. Some love it. Some get sick, some don't. Some get huge, some are "all baby". Whatever the case, each pregnancy is an amazing miracle to me that a human being can actually grown inside of another. AMAZING!

BABYDOM is the next exciting stage in this exclusive MommyClub. I think I read somewhere that a baby grows physically and mentally MORE during their first year of life than in any other. I can see how it's true. Being born around 7 pounds and then more than doubling that by age one. Going from sleeping, pooping, & crying to rolling, scooting, crawling, pulling up, walking and maybe even talking in just 12 months. Again AMAZING!

Moving onto TODDLERVILLE. Once your kid is mobile, and vocal, they are like a totally different human being. They see things differently than they did before and they respond to you differently too. They aren't always so willing to come when you call to them, or let you kiss on them as much as you want. They are becoming their own lil person and they have places to go and people to see! Making new "friends" even if they don't want to. Learning how to share and use words to express their feelings. It is really quite hilarious to watch their exploration and you can almost see the wheels turning in their heads as they learn new things about the world around them.

PRESCHOOL TOWN is the stage that I am getting ready to exit. I have had the best time taking my kids to playdates with other mommies that have kids my kids' age. Watching them interact with their teachers and classmates at school. Learning all of their shapes, colors, alphabets, etc. Things being taught to them (for the most part) by someone other than me. Things - communication, friendship, kindness, even meanness - that are being taught to them by someone even other than their teachers - by their peers. I have loved seeing their art projects evolve over the past few years.

BIG KID WORLD - It's been interesting for me to go through these stages of motherhood, and I'm no where near being done traveling. I still have the dreaded teenage years to look forward to! But it's been interesting because my kids are so close together. For the most part, once a stage is done with one it is pretty much done with the other too. Lacie is in kindergarten, she's READING, but because we put her in the private kindergarten class that their preschool offers, I tend to lump her into the preschool town that Colby is still in. But now, we are sending them both to public school this fall. Colby will be in Kindergarten and Lacie will be in first grade. They are becoming BIG KIDS. It almost feels like jr. high. all over again. They've been in the same school with these teachers, these classmates, for the past 2 and a half years. And now they are all being split up to go their separate ways and grow up with new friends and new teachers.

I am trying really hard not to make such a big deal out of it, for their sake, but it really is a BIG DEAL. I just don't want them to be freaked out about it. I want them to be excited. I think maybe because I know what is ahead of them, the wonderful AND the hard times that they will be experiencing. Despite this anxiety, I am really looking forward to this next stage of Motherhood. Being room mom, taking them on trips and places that we couldn't take them when they were younger, reading with them. Just continuing to enjoy their milestones. Though maybe not as marked as crawling or walking, still just as impressive to us as their parents, and biggest cheerleaders.

So to all of you just starting out, or maybe in the middle somewhere, just stop for a moment and watch your child. Just stare at them for a good long while. You will probably not believe me when I tell you how fast it changes. But please believe me when I say that it doesn't get any less wonderful! Enjoy the adventure, wherever it takes you!