My brother mentioned yesterday that I’ve really changed since having Maelin. I was offended at first, but after I thought about it, I’m supposed to change…there’s no way you could have a baby and not have some changes.
As I was feeding Maelin this morning at 3am, I was thinking about all the ways our lives look different. Here are a few of them:
Before Baby: Fridays were Happy Hour time: I looked forward to them all week and it would start off a great weekend of partying with friends. A fantastic way to relax after the busy week.
After Baby: Fridays are baby hour time: I look forward to them all week because it’s the start of a few days with my baby. An ideal Friday night now? Hanging out with baby at home and then having a few friends come over for a glass of wine to hang out with both of us and in bed by 11pm.
Before Baby: All my extra money was spent on clothes. I loved going shopping and searching the sale racks for cute stuff that I could wear out to the bars or to work.
After Baby: What extra money??? Seriously, there is no extra money! If I need clothes, I’m going to have to start checking out Goodwill.
Before Baby: The kitties were my babies. I’d sleep in one position all night so as not to disturb them, I’d give them most of the covers, and I thought their meowing for food in the morning was cute.
After Baby: I kicked Gizmo off the bed yesterday because he was taking up too much room, I close the door so I can’t hear them meow and I can’t remember the last time I was able to sit with Sophie for longer than 2 minutes.
Before Baby: My top priorities were Traveling, Family, Work, Friends, Partying, Shopping, etc… I always had a trip planned: whether it was to Santa Fe for the weekend with girlfriends, New Orleans for my 30th bday with friends, Chicago to hang out or to Rome for Spring Break.
After Baby: My top priority is Baby, Family, Baby, Friends, Baby, Work, Baby, Shopping, etc. No traveling. I can’t imagine leaving her for longer than a night now that I’m back at work.
Before Baby: After work I would grab dinner with friends, lounge around on the couch, go shopping, or read a good book and take a long shower.
After Baby: After work I feed baby, take her for a walk, grab a frozen pizza, do laundry, clean pumping stuff and collapse exhausted and dirty into bed.
Before Baby: Weekends were a fun-filled time of sleeping at least until 10am, drinking every night, staying up until 3am, hitting the malls, and lying around on the couch watching HGTV while recovering from the partying.
After Baby: I got up today (Sunday) at 6:30am and was at Wal-Mart by 8am. I put 3 loads of laundry in, played with baby, cleaned the bathroom, fed baby, put her down for her nap, helped Kevin clean the basement, fed baby again, pulled some weeds from my horribly neglected flower garden, played with baby, organized my clothes for the week, decided what to make for dinner, fed baby, gave her a bath, cleaned kitchen, took baby for a walk, read some (BABY!) books and put baby down for the night at 9pm. Too exhausted to do anything else, so I go to bed and read a magazine. (if you had told me that’s what my Sundays would look like before I had Maelin….)
Before Baby: I would hang out with friends for hours. There was always something to do or someone who wanted to go grab a beer.
After Baby: I went an entire week last week with not talking to a SINGLE friend of mine.
Before Baby: I’d wonder how Kevin would do as a dad. He’d always shy away from OPK’s (other people’s kids) and act like they were annoying him.
After Baby: Kevin is an amazing dad. He lights up when he sees Maelin and she always has a smile just for him. I can count on him for everything. Now I have huge amounts of respect for single mothers.
Before Baby: I was always in the midst of a great book: usually even in the middle of two or three.
After Baby: Does “The Nursing Mother’s Companion” count as a great book?
Before Baby: My favorite stores were NY & Company, Gap Outlet and Old Navy.
After Baby: My favorite stores are The Children’s Place Outlet and Once Upon a Child (a baby consignment store).
Before Baby: I’d always be up for anything. Call me at 9pm to go get dinner? Sure! Want sushi on a whim? I could get 3 or 4 people to meet me there and we’d have a great time. The Nada’s are at the Little Bear on a Sunday night and I have to work in the morning? No problem…I’ll just tell the kids that they have to be extra good because I’m sick!
After Baby: I need at least a week notice for anything so I can decide if baby goes too or I need a babysitter or if we can afford it or if it’s an appropriate place to bring a baby or if there’s a discreet place where I can feed her or will she be fussy the whole time or if people will glare at me for bringing her. No wonder I like to stay home!
Before Baby: I’d stay late at work at least 3 days a week getting stuff done. I’d visit with other teachers, I’d volunteer for meetings and trainings, I'd tutor kids and I was always the last one to leave the building.
After Baby: Bell rings at 4:05 and teachers have to stay till 4:15. I’m out of there at 4:16. Don’t you dare ask me to stay later or be on a committee!
Before Baby: I had no idea what it was like to love something more than anything in the world. I had no idea what it felt like to have a little person need you just to love them and take care of them. I had no idea what it was like to walk in a room and see that little person light up just because you are there. I had no idea that you become obsessed with love and you feel like you’ll burst and you can’t believe you got so lucky to be blessed with this perfect little thing that is so beautiful and innocent and precious.
After Baby: Now I know. I think some changes are good ones.
As I was feeding Maelin this morning at 3am, I was thinking about all the ways our lives look different. Here are a few of them:
Before Baby: Fridays were Happy Hour time: I looked forward to them all week and it would start off a great weekend of partying with friends. A fantastic way to relax after the busy week.
After Baby: Fridays are baby hour time: I look forward to them all week because it’s the start of a few days with my baby. An ideal Friday night now? Hanging out with baby at home and then having a few friends come over for a glass of wine to hang out with both of us and in bed by 11pm.
Before Baby: All my extra money was spent on clothes. I loved going shopping and searching the sale racks for cute stuff that I could wear out to the bars or to work.
After Baby: What extra money??? Seriously, there is no extra money! If I need clothes, I’m going to have to start checking out Goodwill.
Before Baby: The kitties were my babies. I’d sleep in one position all night so as not to disturb them, I’d give them most of the covers, and I thought their meowing for food in the morning was cute.
After Baby: I kicked Gizmo off the bed yesterday because he was taking up too much room, I close the door so I can’t hear them meow and I can’t remember the last time I was able to sit with Sophie for longer than 2 minutes.
Before Baby: My top priorities were Traveling, Family, Work, Friends, Partying, Shopping, etc… I always had a trip planned: whether it was to Santa Fe for the weekend with girlfriends, New Orleans for my 30th bday with friends, Chicago to hang out or to Rome for Spring Break.
After Baby: My top priority is Baby, Family, Baby, Friends, Baby, Work, Baby, Shopping, etc. No traveling. I can’t imagine leaving her for longer than a night now that I’m back at work.
Before Baby: After work I would grab dinner with friends, lounge around on the couch, go shopping, or read a good book and take a long shower.
After Baby: After work I feed baby, take her for a walk, grab a frozen pizza, do laundry, clean pumping stuff and collapse exhausted and dirty into bed.
Before Baby: Weekends were a fun-filled time of sleeping at least until 10am, drinking every night, staying up until 3am, hitting the malls, and lying around on the couch watching HGTV while recovering from the partying.
After Baby: I got up today (Sunday) at 6:30am and was at Wal-Mart by 8am. I put 3 loads of laundry in, played with baby, cleaned the bathroom, fed baby, put her down for her nap, helped Kevin clean the basement, fed baby again, pulled some weeds from my horribly neglected flower garden, played with baby, organized my clothes for the week, decided what to make for dinner, fed baby, gave her a bath, cleaned kitchen, took baby for a walk, read some (BABY!) books and put baby down for the night at 9pm. Too exhausted to do anything else, so I go to bed and read a magazine. (if you had told me that’s what my Sundays would look like before I had Maelin….)
Before Baby: I would hang out with friends for hours. There was always something to do or someone who wanted to go grab a beer.
After Baby: I went an entire week last week with not talking to a SINGLE friend of mine.
Before Baby: I’d wonder how Kevin would do as a dad. He’d always shy away from OPK’s (other people’s kids) and act like they were annoying him.
After Baby: Kevin is an amazing dad. He lights up when he sees Maelin and she always has a smile just for him. I can count on him for everything. Now I have huge amounts of respect for single mothers.
Before Baby: I was always in the midst of a great book: usually even in the middle of two or three.
After Baby: Does “The Nursing Mother’s Companion” count as a great book?
Before Baby: My favorite stores were NY & Company, Gap Outlet and Old Navy.
After Baby: My favorite stores are The Children’s Place Outlet and Once Upon a Child (a baby consignment store).
Before Baby: I’d always be up for anything. Call me at 9pm to go get dinner? Sure! Want sushi on a whim? I could get 3 or 4 people to meet me there and we’d have a great time. The Nada’s are at the Little Bear on a Sunday night and I have to work in the morning? No problem…I’ll just tell the kids that they have to be extra good because I’m sick!
After Baby: I need at least a week notice for anything so I can decide if baby goes too or I need a babysitter or if we can afford it or if it’s an appropriate place to bring a baby or if there’s a discreet place where I can feed her or will she be fussy the whole time or if people will glare at me for bringing her. No wonder I like to stay home!
Before Baby: I’d stay late at work at least 3 days a week getting stuff done. I’d visit with other teachers, I’d volunteer for meetings and trainings, I'd tutor kids and I was always the last one to leave the building.
After Baby: Bell rings at 4:05 and teachers have to stay till 4:15. I’m out of there at 4:16. Don’t you dare ask me to stay later or be on a committee!
Before Baby: I had no idea what it was like to love something more than anything in the world. I had no idea what it felt like to have a little person need you just to love them and take care of them. I had no idea what it was like to walk in a room and see that little person light up just because you are there. I had no idea that you become obsessed with love and you feel like you’ll burst and you can’t believe you got so lucky to be blessed with this perfect little thing that is so beautiful and innocent and precious.
After Baby: Now I know. I think some changes are good ones.
2 comments:
Ahh... that was so sweet. :-) You *have* changed a lot, but they are all good changes that you needed to do for Maelin and your family. Believe me, this time goes so FAST, you will be back to your "old way" one day, and it will seem like just a blink in time. It won't be like this forever, but while it is, enjoy it. Maelin won't need you like this forever. There will always be a sushi bar, parties, and bars, but just a sliver of precious time with our little babies.
It took me about a week as well to thank god everynight for Joe. How do single mother's do it all? They have my admiration too.
What Heather said. LOL! ;)Hope you are doing well!
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