Before and After Parenthood

Has your life changed since becoming a mommy? Mine sure has! It's certainly true that nothing changes the perfect little bubble of your life in so many amazing, unbelievable, and even surprising ways like having children. Here are just a few of the ways that my life has changed since becoming a mommy:

Going Out - 
Before Parenthood... Putting on an outfit you know you look hot in, strapping on your favorite heels, going out with your husband, dining, drinking, dancing, and then coming home whenever you feel like it.

After Parenthood... Putting on something that is clean and matches, preparing the children's dinner, reviewing pages of notes with the babysitter, alerting your neighbors that you're going out and they are the emergency contact for the sitter, going out to eat, talking about the kids the whole time, skipping dessert, then rushing home in time to sing to your littles and lay them in their beds.

Mornings - 
Before Parenthood... Rolling over to say good morning followed by coffee and conversation in the kitchen with your husband.

After Parenthood... Passing each other, warm mugs in hand in the hallway, quickly kissing good morning while changing a dirty diaper, followed by warm baby-sandwich-hugs and silly antics to see early morning smiles from the little.

Leaving the House - 
Before Parenthood... Checking hair and make up, adding at least two pieces of jewelry, grabbing car keys, and leaving.

After Parenthood... Crank car and turn on heat, make sure coats, hats and scarves are in car, grab diaper bag complete with extra diapers, change of clothes, snacks, sippy cup, and toys, hope that you look somewhat presentable, use the bathroom since you won't have a chance to go without a little on your hip again for a while, strap everyone into car seats, distribute paci's, books, and toys, and go.

Making Dinner - 
Before Parenthood... Turn on Pandora to favorite station, pour wine, chop, mix, stir up a delectable dinner, clean the kitchen as you go leaving very little mess to tend to afterwards.

After Parenthood... Learn to maneuver around your entire kitchen without moving one of your legs as your little as pulled up and is bear hugging your leg while you prepare dinner, sing Itsy Bitsy Spider or the Wheels on the Bus while checking dinner in the oven, have a completely in depth conversation using a combination of sounds and words about the truck magnets on the refrigerator while simultaneously setting the table. Oh and returning much later (after bath and bedtime) to the surprisingly large mess left after preparing a rather basic dinner.

Meals - 
Before Parenthood... Talking. Eating. Drinking. More talking.

After Parenthood... Surprisingly very little eating actually takes place. Lots of talking. Even more laughing. Much discussion of animal sounds and locating body parts. Followed by cleaning of fingers, faces, ears, and sometimes shoes.

Car Rides - 
Before Parenthood... Epic rock concerts to all your favorite music, stopping as you wish to get gas or a snack, rolling the windows down, and having endless discussions about everything and anything.

After Parenthood... Listening to your rock-a-bye/Baby Einstein/Sunday School songs on repeat in the disc changer, planning every stop around naps and diaper changes, adjusting the temperature to keep the back seat from getting to warm, handing toys, sippy cups, or books to the car seat in the back, and either discussing the children or singing along to Old McDonald Had a Farm... again.

Just a small list of changes. I'm sure when Baby Grant makes his debut our lives will change again as we adjust to life with two little ones.

Despite their differences it's amazing how much I love this life. How no one could have told me of the happiness I'd find here. I'm thankful to have lived the before parenthood life and now find such simple pleasure in the day-to-day of after parenthood.

Tell me mommies, what would you add to this list?