20 Ways You Know You’ve Entered Motherhood

1. your cute hair style has morphed into a pony tail.
2. dangling jewelry is a thing of the past.
3. the characters in your dreams are all Muppets.
4. important things like washing your hair or shaving your legs have to be penciled into your agenda book.
5. you can’t remember the last time you ate a hot meal.
6. you no longer consider buying or wearing anything that’s dry clean only.
7. anything written on your “to do list” must be completed with one hand.
8. you now despise the alphabet song.
9. you no longer have blisters on your feet from wearing uncomfortable, yet stylish shoes just to make a good impression.
10. you don’t mind picking someone else’s nose.
11. it’s been so long since you’ve been to the hair salon, you forgot the name of the salon you've visited for years.
12. your idea of a prime parking spot is the one closest to the cart return.
13. you are convinced the most effective way to torture someone is depriving them of sleep.
14. you have an audience in the bathroom.
15. Cheerios are a staple food along with milk, bread, and ice cream.
16. if you only have enough time to stop at one store, you chose The Children’s Place over Ann Taylor Loft.
17. your pile of laundry has doubled.
18. you strictly observe meal times and nap times.
19. you smile until your face hurts.
20. all the troubles in the world seem to melt away with a sloppy wet kiss.

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether
or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.