Not so glamorous but oh, so rewarding!

Now that I am getting ready to have my second baby and I have been spending so much time with my parents for the holidays, I have been thinking a lot about motherhood. I have to confess it is nothing I thought it would be. For all of the unglamorous aspects of being a mom there seems to always be some shiny, golden reward that follows (not instantly but at some point the reward comes).

I do not want to make motherhood sound like a hassle or a horrible thing because the truth is-it's the most AMAZING, God-given responsibility I have ever been entrusted with BUT sometimes I do think society and Hollywood glamorize motherhood a little more than they should. I mean, don't you just love the pics of skinny minnie Nicole Ritchie, with little Harlow on her hip and a Prada bag on her shoulder? Or how about little Suri dressed better than any of us in her little heels and glowing glossed lips?

I think a teen pregnancy center should do a campaign ad with a mother peed on or puked on to really portray what a lot of your days are like and then it should read-Not So Glamorous. Anyways-on to my sweet revelation about motherhood. I am realizing more and more there is always a reward that follows. Here are a few examples.

Not So Glamorous-Being peed on IN THE FACE by Dalen when he was about 3 months old.
Oh, So Rewarding-Hearing that steady stream of urine hit in the potty for the 1st time.

Not So Glamorous-Dalen demanding things at the top of his lungs in public and throwing a tantrum when he doesn't get them
Oh So Rewarding-Hearing the sound of polite bliss as please and thank you come from his mouth (occaisonally, we are still working on it)

Not So Glamorous-Carrying a 30 lb. child on my hip, while juggling my keys, phone and purse that in real life DOES NOT stay on your shoulder and trying to walk steadily while 8 months pregnant
Oh So Rewarding-Holding one on each knee and reading bedtime stories and singing (I can just imagine what that will be like).

The rewards just keep coming and coming. I have really been trying to reflect on the rewarding aspects of this full time job more than the unglamorous things I am experiencing on a day to day basis. Somedays, I will not lie, it's incredibly hard. When the stinch of puke is still in your nostrils and the puddle of pee is still under your feet because he just happened to miss, it's hard to catch the gleam from that reward I will one day reap but I am trying.

So to all the mother's and nursery workers and caretakers here's one to ya!