Motherhood Made Me Realize My Life Has Purpose

I’ve found myself looking forward to Saturdays because of this Be Brave Guest Post Series. The response has been amazing, and I just love sharing stories about motherhood that we can all relate to. Today’s post is no different! Kayla is here to tell us how motherhood has changed her. And, she writes in such a beautiful, honest way!! I love it. Check out her blog for everything from fitness tips (seriously…look at her about me page) to recipes, and DIY projects. This girl has it all! And, I think this post about motherhood is something that will make you remember why you love being a Mom.

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First off, let me say I LOVE everything Meredith has to say about motherhood and parenting. (You go girl, suck the fun out of those kids!) She has such a REAL take on what being a mom is like. From acting crazy to answering the tough questions kids ask, Meredith hits the nail on the head for me. It’s not everyday you find a mom who you can nod your head in agreement with as you read her posts, so when she asked me to guest post about how motherhood has changed me, I jumped at the opportunity!

Thank you, Meredith, for reaching out to me and allowing me to post today!

So motherhood. How has it changed me?

You mean besides the fact that I rarely wear makeup, have about ZERO hair left, and have started rating pain on a zero-to-labor scale?

Well…

I’ve never loved my boobs or my butt. I’ve always found something I need to “fix” about my appearance until I had Quinn. I finally love my body. I’m not perfect, but I created a beautiful human being with MY body. That is no small feat! My boobs have never been big or what I think a man would desire, but they were good enough to nourish my child. I finally feel like a woman. I feel sexy. I can look in the mirror now and think about all the wonderful things my body is and does versus what it’s not.

After labor without an epidural, I’m stronger than I realized. It was such an amazing experience and I look forward to doing it again. The pain is quickly forgotten and it’s entirely worth it. Since giving birth, there are days that I’m not sure how we will make it through (teething, you are a bitch) but I don’t give up and we somehow make it!

Before Quinn, I went through my day just doing what paid the bills and made me happy. I laughed, I cried, I ate, I drank, and I slept but it was just another day. Now, I feel like my life has purpose. I wake up excited to see her. She brings so much meaning to my life and I often find myself reflecting on deeper thoughts.

As a new mom, you learn pretty quick that you come last. There’s your spouse, the baby, the pets, the house, the house items, everybody else you know, then you. You make sacrifices because you have to and because you love your child more than anything else in the world. Once I figured out this unwritten code, I learned that I now appreciate my parents more than ever. I have an understanding of what they went through to make my life awesome.

Now, my day is busier than ever. I realize how much time I used to have and how much I wasted it. Seriously. What the hell did I do all day before? Mom version of me does circles around the non-mom version. << That girl was lazy.

I guess because I am so busy now, I can do anything at superhero speed. I’m fast and I multitask. I can shower in 1.5 minutes (with shaving) and can brush my teeth while folding clothes and playing peekaboo with Quinn. Can you do that?

Lastly, I love more deeply. I have never felt the way I do about Quinn for another human being. My heart hurts when she bumps her head. I tear up when she snuggles in to my chest. I light up when she reaches a milestone. I grin when she greets me in the morning with a smile and arms outstretched for me. I also fall more in love with her daddy every time I see him look at his baby girl. I.Just.Feel.Love.

In a nutshell, motherhood has carved my spirit, engraved my stomach, molded my breasts, shaped my heart, and sculpted my thoughts.

I guess you could say it hasn’t changed me; it has made me!

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I’m Kayla and I am a mom to a beautiful baby girl and I’m a police wife!  I blog over at Variety by Vashti about all things motherhood, coffee and how I attempt to be fit and frugal.  Stop on by! You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.