Book Love: The Magic of Motherhood

It's no secret that this parenting gig isn't all sunshine and baby cuddles.  There are plenty of late nights, crying (from both sides), and frustrating moments along the way.  Kids make almost everything harder but more wonderful.  And while we say we were "ready" for kids, very ready, you can never really be prepared for all the emotions, fear, stress, and joy that adding a baby will bring.  Parenting is the hardest, best thing I've ever done.

I don't remember how I found out about this book, The Magic of Motherhood, but lucky for me, my library hold came in just time to read on Mother's Day, putting my other books aside for the day.  It's a collection of essays by many different mothers sharing hard stories, happy stories, and the ones in between.

There are stories about infertility, miscarriages, dealing with birth mothers, and medical diagnoses.  There are joyful stories of babies being born, families expanding, and that heart-wrenching love that a child brings.  There are stories of adjusting your marriage to kids and finding your way back to who you were pre-kids, both as an individual and a couple.

I cried.  More than once.  (Maybe I was also more prone to tears and emotions on Mother's Day.)  I smiled, I could relate to so many of the stories.

No two parenting journeys are the same and we all have our own trials and joys.  And this book celebrated many of those, shared in the hard stuff.  I've never witnessed a baby being born but I feel like I understand the emotions a little better.  Many of you may never experience infertility or dealing with birth mothers and maybe those stories would show you a different side.

One of my favorite essays was titled "It's Their Day Too" and was about how days can quickly go downhill, the to-do list doesn't get done, you get frustrated.  But then, remember, it's your kids day too.  And maybe ignoring the mess in the house to go supervise backyard pool time is the better choice.  It'll probably make your kids' day and all those to-dos will wait for tomorrow.  

If I measured each day by my list, the days are not always very good, but when I look at each day like it is their day too, because it is their day, well, then most days are better.  A lot better.

Definitely something I needed to read and really need to remember.  

I would recommend this books to all Moms, but especially those in the thick of the first decade of parenting, the infant/toddler/preschool/early school year Moms.  I've heard many times that these are the toughest years but also have heard that Moms of teenagers and beyond would love to go back to the struggles we face now (maybe they are forgetting about changing the sheets every day and waking up in the middle of the night to a screaming kid?  Although I remember myself as a teenager...I'm in no hurry to parent that!).

It made me (more) proud to be a Mom and feel good that there are plenty of other parents out there facing the same stuff, good and bad, on this crazy parenting ride.  It made me appreciate it all the more.  There definitely is some magic in motherhood.

Goodreads | Amazon

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