Motherhood is full of moments that can bring pure happiness, joy, stress, and even guilt. However, there have been plenty of moments that can make a mother cross the line between laughing and crying. Moments that, depending on how the day has gone, your only options may be to laugh or cry. Somehow children seem to know just how to make their mothers cross this line.
There have been many of these motherhood moments since my daughter was born almost two years ago. Recently, she needed her diaper changed, so I cleaned her up and let her run off naked while I started her bath. Unfortunately, after a minute of walking around, she cried out and grabbed her bottom as poop started hitting the floor. Her face was priceless, a mix of honest confusion and concern. The poop staining the carpet was the first thought running through my head, but after focusing on my daughter’s face, I started to laugh hysterically. I promise, I never imagined that I would laugh while watching my child poop on the floor!
After turning 18 months, she has become more and more independent. Usually requesting to do things without assistance or her wanting to try and help out. She recently decided that she should eat yogurt on her own. While she was eating, I decided to try and load our dishwasher. When I turned back around to check on her, most of the yogurt was smeared across her forehead, cheeks, pajamas, and the table. However, she had a huge smile on, so proud of what she had accomplished. Then she realized her hands were messy and had a complete melt down.
A time where I was completely pushed over the line into crying was when she was just a baby. When we arrived at one of her checkups, she had soaked through her onesie with spit up. This was her first change. After the visit, as I strapped her in her car seat, she spit up again. So, I put her in her second spare outfit. As I strapped her in for the third time, she made the monster of all poop noises…I took her out and she had had a blowout. Now at this point, it was pouring. I was doing this all in the back seat of our car and I had to put my baby into a wet onesie with spit up because it was either that or leave her in her poopy onesie. As tears started falling down my face, she burped and gave me one of her first smiles.
These are the moments I want to cherish the messy laughter. Moments like when my toddler spent the entire day whining, but then ran up and gave me wet smooches for helping put her dolly in the stroller. Moments that I might have wanted to cry out in frustration. Then, my dimpled, smiley, giggly daughter pulls me back over that line from crying to laughter.
From each stage, infant and on, remembering these moments that brought you laughter and almost made you cry. As a mother, these are the moments we should all cherish. Someday, they’ll make great stories to share with your child!
What stories will you tell your kids?
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