Before I was a Mom

Before I was a mom:
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a mom:
I slept as late as I wanted,

and never worried about

how late I got into bed.

I brushed my hair

and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a mom:
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or

forgot words to lullabies.

Before I was a mom:
I didn't worry whether or not my plants

were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a mom:
I had never been puked on,

pooped on,

spit on,

chewed on,

peed on,
Or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a mom:
I had complete control of my mind,

my thoughts, and my body.
I slept all night.

Before I was a mom:
I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests

or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never felt gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night

watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a mom:
I never held a sleeping baby just because

 I didn't want to put it down.

I never felt my heart break

 into a million pieces

when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small

 could affect my life so much.
I never knew I could love someone

 so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a mom:
I didn't know the feeling of having

my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel

 to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between

 a Mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important.

Before I was a mom:
I had never gotten up in the

middle of the night

 every 10 minutes to

 make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

 the joy,

 the love,

 the heartache,

 the wonderfulment
Or the satisfaction of being a mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling

 so much

before I was a mom.