Monday, January 23, 2012

Who I am

I am a daughter, a sister, a wife (and ex-wife), a mother, a cousin, a colleague, a friend and many other titles I can't even begin to remember now. Some days it's hard to remember just who I am at any given moment.

They say having kids changes you. I think that's the understatement of the millenium. I can go for days on 4 hours of sleep, meals that are never hot (and rarely warm) and caffeine. I learned to put someone else's needs before my own and to put some of my dreams on hold while nurtured this little life into someone more self sustaining.

I always swore that even after I had the kid that I wouldn't become one of those people who can only talk about parenting and kids. What I didn't realize was just how all encompassing being a parent would be.

Oh sure, I still like to try and stay on top of current events and relish the idea of spending hours over dessert and drinks discussing politics and global warming and the latest celebrity gossip. Something changed along the way though - everything I used to believe and used to enjoy has now been coloured by becoming a parent. Without even realizing it, I've changed - evolved even. Whether I like it or not, I now have more in common with other parents than I do with my old life. It's not a bad thing, but it certainly is different than what I thought it would be.

My newest and most important title is Mom. It's been a complete surprise from the day I found out we were going from 2 to 3, but it's the best title I never knew I wanted.