Having a baby changes everything

I was recently taking a poll online on a baby website. One of the questions was:

What does the phrase "Having a baby changes everything" mean to you?

Here is my answer:

Your thinking changes, you no longer think about just yourself and your spouse. You think about your child, and how you conduct yourself will affect your child. How your money is spread out is different. You no longer have the same amount of spending money for yourself, you have to buy diapers, clothes, doctor's visits--and they are more important than that new shirt or pair of shoes you've had your eye on. Your schedule changes. You no longer get to stay out late, or be able to go somewhere on a whim. Bedtimes and naptime are important, otherwise the rest of the day is cranky time. Your sleep pattern changes. You no longer get to sleep in when you want to. But, amidst all these changes, come a lot of wonderful unimaginable changes. Your sense of joy changes from the things you used to love, to getting that toothless gummy grin. Even those slobbery kisses (that do eventually change to sweet ones), put a smile on your face. You find yourself having spent half of naptime just watching your child sleep, in awe of their beauty and amazed at the fact that they are yours, and the other half of naptime catching up on your sleep. And who can forget how your heart leaps when your child first says, "Mama", or "Dada", or how proud you feel when the doctor says your child is smart. Yes, having a baby changes everything, but the positives outweigh the negatives. For me, having a baby changes everything for the better, and I wouldn't ever exchange my "Mama Time" for the times I had before having a baby.

I'm so proud to be a Mommy. This is the job that gives me such joy.