Misery Loves Company

I'm starting to believe that the phrase, "misery loves company," was created by a parent.  Why else don't other parents EVER tell you the cold, hard, drive-you-to-drink truth about what a potty-pooping, game changer, parenthood really is.  No one subtly hints to it when you're considering it, or ever politely mentions it when you're enthusiastically sharing with everyone that you're “trying”.  And then of course, no one SPEAKS UP when it's too late and you have to learn the hard way the real meaning of sleep deprivation and why the phrase "sleeping like a baby" was NOT created by a parent.  AND why we can build submarines but can't make a diaper last all night before exploding and leaving what can only be described as tiny little reminder beads, (and choking hazards to children under 3) that when the baby whimpers to let you know that he/she needs to be changed, it's not like hitting the snooze button.  5 more minutes only buys you 5 more minutes of whimpering, which leads to at least 5 more minutes of crying, and an additional 20 minutes changing the diaper, the dang buttoned onesie (because all the zippered onesies are in the wash), and the crib-sheet pee-pad that wasn’t as durable as the one you should’ve bought but its pattern matched the nursery perfectly.  So the pee just soaked straight through it, the crib sheet, and the waterproof crib mattress pad.  You know the one that you got on sale and therefore the pee soaked through IT too, down to the "I should've bought the vinyl covered crib mattress, but the noise of a baby rolling around on it all night, has to keep you up, yet ironically, you're up now" as well as any toys or blankets you shouldn't have in the damn crib anyway!!! 

It doesn’t make you less of a loving, grateful and blessed parent to admit that this, “way below minimum wage, you wanna pull your hair out and marry mommy’s little helper job,” is the most challenging, but hands down the most rewarding because you will never, EVER love anyone like you love your child.

So SPEAK UP you, "you should have kids, what are you waiting for, parenthood is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get, but it's ALWAYS gonna be glorious," friends and family members who hold your tongue and bite your lip.  The “I told you so club” is one you’ve always aspired to be a member of and nobody’s going to listen to you anyway even if “misery loves company”.