After having kids, there was no doubt in my mind that I hadn’t been informed of all things mommy. I was kept in the dark.

Nobody told me all those
. You know, the leaking when you cough, sneeze, or laugh too hard. Or hemmorhoids. (I didn’t even know what those were prior to being a mommy!)

At the same time, there was much, much more than no one ever tells you what you really need to know about parenthood.

Your heart will overflow with love.

I didn’t think after my first child that I could love anyone or anything more than I loved my daughter. Then Buddy came along and my heart filled more. I swore, there was no possible way I could love another child. It just didn’t seem possible, but Baby Girl proved that theory wrong. I never in a million years could imagine the love that I hold for each of my children.

Parents develop an alter ego.

I am certain that other parents will attest to this. If someone, no matter how big or small, messes with our child, you will see a side of a parent you didn’t know existed. And it’s scary. Very scary. (Ever hear the term “Mama Bear”?)

You would go to the end of the world for your kids.

I’ve known love prior to having kids. I have said I would die for someone, but that doesn’t become more real than when you have kids. I would literally do anything for my children. I would trade my life if it meant they could keep theres. There is nothing more precious and more valuable to me than my children.

Watching them is its own form of entertainment.

There is nothing more entertaining than just watching them. No talking. No playing on your phone. No watching television. Just sitting and watching them. Whether they are awake or asleep. There is nothing I would rather do in my free time than just watch them.

You learn from them as much as they learn from you.

There is nothing more accurate. My kids have taught me a ton about myself, but they teach me every day about parenting. Each of them are unique individuals and require different love and care than the other. I am constantly learning from my kids.

They are magical.

They can make the worse day, the best day. Even when they are the ones causing your day to be the worst, they somehow can make that all go away and make your day the best. The simple saying of ‘hi’ from a little one when you walk in the door from work. The random ‘I love you’ just because. The cuddles. The hug just because they missed you. They can make the worst of the worst magically become the best.