Things I've learned as a parent...

Motherhood is a choice you make everyday to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own.

I can't even tell you how many times I've turned off my recorded show to watch Despicable Me instead. Or how many times I've gone without lunch because I was too busy taking care of my boys. Being a mommy means putting Jude & August's needs before mine. Sure, I would love to take a long shower and read a book like I used to... but that's time I could be spending with my children instead.

What's mine is yours.

Even if Jude is eating the exact same thing as me, he wants a bite from my plate.

Sleeping in til 8 am is sleeping in.

Oh man do I love sleeping in!! Pre-babies I would spend my weekend mornings sleeping in til the afternoon. Jeff is great about letting me sleep in a little later on his days off.... and sleeping til 8 really does make a difference. But I will forever put sleeping in on my wish list for holiday gift ideas.

You will make mistakes. And it's OK.

I am by no means perfect and there are some days when I lay in bed thinking back on how I could have done something differently that day. Some days we have fast food for lunch. Sometimes I forget to brush Jude's teeth before bed. Jude has fallen off a bed, with me standing RIGHT.THERE. My boys eat baby food that isn't all organic (gasp). Some days we cuddle on the sofa and watch Despicable me on repeat several times because I just don't have the energy to do anything else and we're all happy to just be snuggling. And most weekend days we stay in our jammies until lunch time. But that's okay. We all make mistakes. I'm no Super Mom and I have to forgive myself for that.

Laundry & dishes can wait.

Sometimes I have to stop doing a chore right in the middle of it because August needs a bottle or Jude wants to build a tower with his Lego's and needs his momma's help. Or a diaper needs to be changed, or Jude wants me to read him a book. I feel so embarrassed when people come to my house and its in disarray... but if they look closely they will see how happy and content my children are.

I can never use the restroom alone. Ever

I will even wait until both boys are napping so that I can pee in peace. I'm not sure what is so exciting about using the restroom, but for some reason I always have an audience. Jeff must think I'm crazy because the first thing I do when he gets home from work is run to the restroom. I could spend half an hour in there checking up on social media or just sitting quietly thinking. He probably thinks I have major bowel issues... but 9 times out of 10 I'm not even using the restroom to go potty, I'm using it simply for alone time.

If you had an opinion of how you were going to parent before you had kids, it will change.

Man, before I had children of my own I was so quick to point out how others were doing it "wrong" and how I would be doing it "right". I was going to be the perfect mom & I had very strong opinions of how other moms should be parenting. I was sure I would NEVER co-sleep, and now that's my preferred way of sleeping each night. I swore I would NEVER let my kids eat or drink in my car, but let me tell you how much easier it is to run errands with a lil snack. I always judged parents who let their kids eat food in the grocery store that wasn't purchased yet, and boy did I feel stupid the first time I opened a pack of yogurt melts to calm my screaming toddler. Oh how the list could go on and on. 

Your friendships will change and you may lose some friends.

I am the first of my friend's to have children and because of that, my relationships with my single friends or married friends without babies have changed. Although I have made some wonderful new friendships with women that have kids, I miss my old friends terribly. It's hard. We're in different places in our lives and it's not always easy for me to meet them for dinner or happy hour with out my children. I try to make an effort to keep those friendships alive, but sometimes getting a babysitter isn't always easy. For the most part my friends have been understanding and are great about spending time with me at my house playing with my kiddos, but I have lost that close bond with them and feel like we aren't as close as we used to be. And the times when those friends are around me & my children I feel like I have Tourette Syndrome. I'll be listening closely to her story about a recent date and interrupt with "take that out of your mouth" or "no, don't ride your brother". I feel like it makes me seem uninterested in what my friend  is sharing.

It's okay to ask for help.

I have been blessed with an amazing support system of helpers. Not only was I blessed with a good husband, but my boys were blessed with a very involved dad. My husband is so hands-on with our boys and wants to be involved in every step along the way. My mom lives a mile away and is literally always available to step in & offer help. Whether she's picking Jude up from school for me or keeping the boys so I can run to the grocery store alone or watching the boys so Jeff & I can go on a much needed date night, my mom is always offering to help. My sister "Jay Jay" is also so sweet to stop by most weekend morning with breakfast or a Starbucks for me. Jude LOVES when she shows up in her "big grey truck" (its actually a SUV) and lets him "Beep Beep & drive" (sit in the front seat and pretend to drive). My cousin Ashley Jo spends most of her days off playing with the boys at my house so I can catch up on dishes or laundry. She even offers to help organize my closet on a monthly basis. 

If all else fails, call your mom.
I can't tell you how many times I've called my mom in a panic over something with my boys. She always has the magic answer. "Try giving him Karo syrup to help with constipation" or "Let him chew on a cold wet washcloth to relieve his teething pain" or "sprinkle a little salt and pepper and seasoning on that baby puree food to give it some flavor" or "rub Neosporin on it & it will go away in no time"