Pre-Baby Dream Goals – How Things Change

Pre-Baby Dream Goals – How Things Change…

Do you ever look back in time and reflect on your pre-baby dream goals and realize how things change?  I have been reflecting quite often lately about how much our lives have changed.  Most likely it is because we are getting ridiculously close to our oldest child heading off to college.  I know that our family life will be forever changed when this happens.  Just like my life was forever changed when she was born.

I bet you are a bit like me.  Before you had children, you painted this amazing picture of what life would be like.  I know I did.  Here is what I imagined would happen.  I would give birth, enjoy my 6 weeks of maternity leave but I would be so bored that I would be anxiously awaiting the day I could return to work.  Life would be so easy with one child.  Yes, I thought a lack of sleep and the everyday tasks to feed the baby, change the baby, cuddle the baby would be manageable on top of cleaning myself, the house and getting food for my husband and me.

Well, that entire scheme I dreamed up, completely disappeared the MOMENT I gave birth.    My bubble popped for sure but in an amazing way that I never expected.  As I held my first born child in my arms in complete awe of understanding unconditional love, I looked into my husband’s eyes and we had such love between us.  After about an hour, I looked into my husband’s eyes again and said: “you better get another job because I never want to leave her”.  I wasn’t joking either!

Fast forward, 10 weeks and I did have to return to my job for financial reasons.  Days and weeks went by and we started to get into a routine.  After months of working, due to health complications (read more here), I did have to leave my job.  Fast forward another 18 years and 5 more children to today and boy did things really not turn out the way I imagined in my pre-baby life.  They turned out SO.MUCH.BETTER!  I let go of those unsustainable dreams and have tried to live my life in the moment.

So here are my 10 “dream goals” that I had pre-baby.  Give yourself 1 point for each thing you said before you had kids but you don’t do it now.  Of course, I got a perfect 10!  And I am truly grateful for that (except the split duties in the house – that would be awesome)!

1. I’m always going to make sure my kid doesn’t have boogers on their face.
2. My kid will always wear matching clothes.
3. I will love my job.
4. I will have it all – work, family and “me time”. (this one is laughable)
5. No will mean no.
6. My baby won’t ever cry it out.
7. My husband and I will split the house and kid duties 50% each.
8. My kid will never go to school with a 99 fever and Tylenol.
9. My kids will be 100% screen free.
10. I won’t wear yoga pants outside of yoga class.

I have new dreams now like being home alone for 2 hours with nothing to do.  Or reading a book on the beach all afternoon.  If I had to guess, when those times do come, I will wish that I could have all 6 of our children back in the house remembering the good old days!