What I Wish People Would Have Told Me Before My Son was Born

   You parents have been there, the feeling of excitement mixed with panic when you see that positive pregnancy test. You're suddenly thrown into a whirlwind of emotion, doctor appointments, and frantically preparing for a life-changing event. Having a baby is a wild ride right from the beginning with no end in sight. 

  I got pregnant with my son in the winter of 2018. He defied all odds as I'd struggled with PCOS for years. I shared the news with my husband and together we shared the news with our families, just in time for Christmas. As soon as we felt comfortable, went public with our announcement. While we were always met with initial excitement, it wasn't long before the negative comments crept in. 

'Oh, you're having a baby?... Say goodbye to sleeping' 

'Aren't you a little young for a baby?'

'Get in all the dates with your hubby, because they'll be sparse after baby' 

'One is easy, just wait till you have two' 

     I get it! I get it. Thank you for your backhanded comments regarding my choice to have a family. It's like our culture has developed a habit of warning new parents about how awful and hard parenthood can be.  Often my husband and I could shake off whatever horror stories people would tell us about having kids. While I understand the need in society to 'be real' and share the hard price we as parents have to pay, what I really wish people would have told me about having a baby is how awesome it is. 

    Never in a million years could I have imagined what my son would be like. I had hoped he would have my toes and his dad's eyes. I knew he wouldn't be very big since we're both relatively small people, but I couldn't dream of how dazzling his first smile would be. No one prepped me for the tears that would come after hearing his first laugh. I could go on and on about how amazing our little boy is, but I'm sure you get the point. We as parents need to reinvent our norm when speaking about our children. Instead of warnings, let's give more praise and give new parents more reason to be excited. 

-Julie