Interview with Myself
1. Before you ever had children, how did you feel about being a mother?
Hmmm... Up until the moment I held Piper in my arms, I had concerns about my abilities to be a mother. I have never considered myself a very maternal woman, and often found myself annoyed with children. I didn't (and don't!) hate children, haha. I just didn't have a sweet, nurturing spirit when it came to children's antics. Screaming children in public places annoyed the stew out of me. It still does. I am hyper-sensitive of Piper's noise level around others, and hope that my sensitivity to other parents' INsensitivity will be present- no matter how many children we have. I love MY child, and I've already noticed a difference in my approach to others' children. The problem I had before was that children usually did not care for me, therefore I did not care for them! My thoughts towards being a mom drastically changed when I married Neal. It sounds cheesy, but he treated me so well, it suddenly became very obvious to me that we could parent together, and that he would be an incredible partner to pursue it with!
2. Since becoming a mother, what is something that has happened that you never thought would?
This may sound conceited, but I am constantly impressing myself with the way I respond to Piper's needs. It's as though something just "clicked on" the moment she left my body and came into our world. I suddenly have this attachment to a little creature that loves me and is completely dependent on me. I know what she needs, wants, likes, dislikes, and feels. I never thought I could have a connection like the one I have with her, and it seems so effortless. She has peed on my pants, pooped in my hand, vomited all in/on my clothing, screamed in my ears- and I don't even care. It literally doesn't phase me.
3. Is being a mother less difficult, more difficult or exactly how difficult you imagined?
I feel like the textbook answer should be "more difficult"- because who can actually imagine what being a mom entails?! However I feel like it's exactly as difficult as I thought it would be. There have definitely been a ton of unexpected things, such as newborn projectile poop diaper drama, however I knew it would be difficult, I knew it would be exhausting, but I knew I'd have a great support team that would help me in any way possible. The c-section did throw a bit of a wrench in my gears, because I literally never even considered that I may have to have one. I had to do some major adjusting to the fact that I had my first major surgery, and that surgery resulted in a 24/7 responsibility! But Neal, my mom, his mom, and great friends have provided so much help that I simply don't feel that it was that much of an added difficulty.
4. What is your fondest memory of being a mother (so far)?
I absolutely love my mornings with Piper. She is such a joy when she first wakes up. She fusses just enough to wake me and let me know she's hungry- no screaming! I pick her up and take her to the couch in our sitting area of our room, and lay her down on it. Then, I undo her swaddle, and her arms shoot up above her head, grunts and squeeks, she arches her back, and sticks out her tiny little booty- she's the best stretcher!! I LOVE it. I LIVE for those first little moments with her. I know they are limited! I also love rocking her to sleep. She sure does fight sleep, so I usually end up singing horribly, bobbing my head, and rocking in a terribly inconsistent rhythm, all while she screams herself sweaty. But she eventually will go to sleep, sucking on my thumb that she insists is better than any of those nice, store-bought pacifiers we stocked up on.
5. If your children only learn one life lesson from you, what do you hope it
is?
I hope my children always find happiness in what they do. They will be brought up in a Christian household, and that means that life will not be easy for them (not that it would be if they were brought up differently...) I know they will face trials in their lifetime, and I know that Satan will try to steal their joy, because in this day and age, it is so easy to lose joy and hope. I pray they will always be able to see the beauty in the world around them, and to bring beauty and joy anywhere they go. Sometimes, that is your job as a Christian- not to run your mouth about the doctrine you've grown up on- but simply to be a joy in someone's life. I know a lot of people that claim to be Christians, but they suck the absolute joy out of anyone they come around. What kind of witness is that?! I love my sunny days, rainy days, sparkly things, flowers, animals, Christmas smells, family- the list goes on. Hopefully people will always label me as a joyful person- I have always been told that I am, and I think it's one of the greatest compliments you can be paid.
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