Appreciation.

I was going to make this a post to bitch. A post to bitch about how much I have on my plate and how some people in my life don't seem to understand what being a full time working mom is really about.

The itch to do this was ignited by two emails I received this week, from two separate people, asking if they've done something wrong because I haven't called them back.

Neither of these people have children so I am deciding not to bitch.

I too was once, not so long ago, a childless adult that also questioned why I wouldn't hear from my friends with children. I would think to myself, "that kid HAS to nap, why can't they call me then?", or something similar.

I get it now.

Instead, I want to post this in appreciation to all of my friends and family, moms or non-moms, that have been so understanding of why I haven't called or have only been able to keep in touch sporadically. I can't tell you what it means to me to have the support system that I do. It's amazing. So, thank you...

Thank you to the friends that I only speak to once every six months, but we pick up right where we left off. I love that.

Thank you to my friends that understand when Lily is screaming bloody murder that I have to get off the phone, right then and there.

Thank you to my family that will still call to check on me every few weeks, even though I only return every 4th phone call, but never question me.

Thank you to my mommy friends that will let me make the entire conversation about Lily because I really need some support in that moment.

Thank you to my friends that understand my selfishness when it relates to Lily.

Thank you to my friends that live close, that happen to not have children, that come over and not only tolerate Lily's screaming but do everything you can to help.

Just, thank you.

Having a baby has been the most intense challenge of my life so far. I'm so fortunate to have family and friends close to make it easier. That is priceless. I will say that most of my friends made parenting look so easy. These people are super heroes to me....actually, all moms are super heroes to me!

To those that think having a baby is just an excuse to not stay in touch, or something of the like, I hope you can experience this someday. Not to see how challenging it is but to see how absolutely beautiful it is. To see that there is NOTHING in the world that you would rather do than to smell your baby's head and sing her a song while rocking her. To see that getting 5 hours of broken sleep a night is worth it just to look at her smile at you at 5am in the light of her nightlight. To see that working a ten hour day is totally worth it because you know you are able to provide her with things she needs and wants. To see that rolling over and giggling are the most gorgeous things to see and hear. To see that everything else in life is quite trivial and that spending every possible second with her is indeed what matters.