Life
Some days it feels like I'm barely surviving. When my toddler is having a 4 a.m. tantrum or I can't help but feel like I'll be breastfeeding for the rest of my life, this whole parenting thing loses its sheen. And when I feel like I'm doing it all wrong, my son will suddenly do something adorable or say something uplifting, I immediately remember how much I love being a mom. That's when they get you, when you're at your weakest.
Which was a sentiment echoed when moms described the moment they realized parenthood is so worth it. Us moms need those times when our kids amaze and inspire us, so we can keep going through the incredible mess that is parenthood.
Thankfully, my son gives me these little gems all the time. He sprinkles them throughout a day full of defiance, where he has demanded the same annoying song on repeat and has made our house look like a disaster zone. It seems, at least to me, that kids are cute because it's nothing short of a self-preservation tactic. Their adorable natures and heartbreakingly cute faces keep their frazzled parents from simply dropping them off the edge of a cliff (I kid, kind of). But seriously, there are so many daily moments that remind me that parenthood is so worth it, including the following:
Wendy
"My baby is only 2 months old and it has been hard, but when she stares into my eyes the connection I feel to her is unparalleled."
Rayanne
"Obviously I don't want my kids to get hurt, but when they do and they cry for me, it makes me feel so important and needed."
Jo
"Just being a mom is amazing. It's exhausting and really messy but it's still amazing. I love being called 'Mom'."
Janie
"When my baby said 'mama" for the first time. We had a rough night and I was really tired, but she looked up at me and said it. I thought my heart would burst. It meant everything."
Matilda
"I guess there were lots of moments, throughout my first daughter's childhood, where I felt parenthood worked for me. But it took me longer to really appreciate the gift of being someone's mom. Now that she's nearly a woman, she often tells me what I did right and that feels very gratifying."
Claire
"My toddler is into giving hugs and telling everyone 'I love you.' Even though everyone (including the mailman) gets this same sentence, it still makes me feel special!"
Katie
"My son likes to cuddle both my husband and I all together. He calls it 'family squeeze." It makes any irritation worth it."
Taylor
"We are a big sports family and when our kids competed in their first tournaments, I had just never felt pride like it. I really sobbed with happiness."
Emma
"Literally the moment I gave birth. I knew nothing would ever rival this love."
Amber
"My baby was sick at 6 months. The day we got to take him home made me realize how lucky we are to be parents, what a blessing it is, and how not everyone gets that gift."
