Then and now, a post for Jen

I know I have posted about this before but I'm going to talk more about it for Jen, and I encourage you mommies out there to comment and let me know your Then and Nows of parenting. Then is before I had a kid and now is well, now that I'm a mommy.

Then: I criticized any parent who let their child sleep with them. I bashed them for not having the common sense to get their kid out of their bed so they could have normal lives.

Now: I pretend I want my son out of my bed, but when he spent the night away the other night I missed him sooo badly I almost stuck a pillow in his spot.

Then: I would make fun of my friends who wouldn't let their kids spend the night, or who didn't take trips with out their kids and told them they needed ME time and they were being ridiculous and to get over it. I often talked of how when I had a kid I would make sure I kept up with my ME time.

Now: I am fine letting my son go to grandmas for the day but when he spends the night I won't lie and say that both my husband and I don't get sad around 8PM and have to talk each other out of going to get him. It was sooo hard to let him go to anyones house with out me the first time, but I realized I had to do it. I still enjoy my ME time but I think of my son every second.

Then: My child will only eat organic food.

Now: HA! I followed this strictly during the jarred baby food stage. Now though, no way man. Bring on the campbells and Kraft Mac and cheese and the Cheetos and regular string cheese and gasp non organic chicken tenders...yeah, I lost patients for all that, I realized I could only buy what my son would eat!


Then: Kids who scream should be dealt with. They must have bad parents if they are behaving that way at dinner.

Now: I'm to tired to give a shit, if you want to jump on the table, fine whatever just don't wake me I'm sleeping!

Then: My kid will never go out in public with stains or stuff on his face.

Now: Dude, how in the fuck did you find that piece of chocolate while you were in your carseat? I swear you were clean when I put you in there. And also, you don't want to wash your face, fine its you they are staring at not me, go on with your bad self, be messy, thats what kids do, they are messy, in fact, come here, let me smear something on your face, you look extra cute covered in chocolate!

Then: I will change my kids diaper every time he pees.

Now: Shit, where did your diaper go, ooooo you took it off because it was soo full you were afraid you were going to sink if you walked by quick sand. Dammit, I'll try harder tomorrow!

So you can all see what an idiot I was about parenting before I had a kid. I may still be an idiot, but at least now I can speak from my own experience. How bout you other moms out there. Help me out, what things do you do now that you swore you would never do if you became a mom?