it's a tough job, but i'm thankful i do it.

When I was pregnant with Audrey I thought being a parent was all rainbows and unicorns prancing around eating cotton candy all the time. I dreamt about the first smile, the first time she would run to me and say mama, family vacations to the beach, all the hair bows I would put in her hair, painting her nails, even her wedding day.

I had no idea that there would be times I would wake up in the middle of the night and think what did I get myself into after my two-year had woke up for the third time that night. Or the times where I would just lose it and break down when the husband got home because it was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I definitely didn't dream about the time when you (and by you, I obviously mean me) don't return to a store for at least a week in hopes they would forget about your child throwing fit [This hasn't happened yet, but duh, it's going to, hey, at least I have a plan].  I didn't think about the things that I would be giving up. Like, oh you know, sleeping past seven in the morning ever again. Or calling it a night at 8pm because bed time is calling (for you and your child). And your birthday and Christmas gifts turning into presents like a car seat or cloth diapers or a diaper bag.

What did I get myself into, right? This whole parenting thing is for the crazy people, right?

Well, it's worth it. Totally worth it. Those dreams I had when I was pregnant with Audrey? They are coming true, one-by-one. And now I get to live them again with Naomi.

The difficult times get washed away, while the most beautiful moments are

 stowed away in our hearts forever.