The answer is no. Every decision I have made, or experience that I have had, has made me the person I am today and I don't want to change that. Even the bad stuff, because it's better the devil you know, than the devil you don't.
I have been mulling about this topic all morning. When this happens my brain turns into a cable news channel. No matter what is happening on the main screen there is a line of words continuously scrolling across the bottom. I am engaged with my present life but there is that scroll of words, which are my thoughts, just moving and changing as I edit out or in what I am going to blog about later.
At first I thought I am going to list every decision or experience I have ever had and blog about why I don't regret it. But as I did a mental review of my life I got bored, sad, and embarrassed. I realized any readers were going to have those same feelings. I can handle you being sad or embarrassed but not bored!
This blog is supposed to be about moms not easily offended by the realities of life so I decided to be real. No fluffy stuff. If you can't handle that right now then you are welcome to bail and go read Moms Who Drink and Swear (my favorite).
I am going to write about experiences and decisions I have made, but only since becoming a mother. So as to keep it brief, and not bore the shit out of everyone. Below will be a list of the topics:
Having kids
Getting pregnant on my honeymoon
Not breastfeeding beyond 6 months
Getting a nanny even though I am a stay-at-home-mom
Abortion/Autism/The big V
Buying this house
Anti-depressants
Starting my blog
Quitting the Mom's Club before getting kicked out of it
Mike's diagnosis
Re-joining the Mom's Club
Almost losing my colon
Right now
If you are starting to get bored already I will just tell that the question is do I regret any of these and the answer is no. But if you want to know why then read on.
Having kids: For those who have known me pre marriage I used to say that I didn't want to have kids at all. And I meant it. But that's because I never met a man who I thought was capable of being a good father. Then I found Erik. Problem solved, he is a kick ass dad, husband and my best friend.
Getting pregnant on my honeymoon: I don't regret that though it was surprising and a tad inconvenient. I was wearing maternity clothes and still sending out thank you cards for wedding gifts.
Not breastfeeding beyond 6 months: I only lasted this long with Mike because he was a bad sucker and I mostly pumped and fed him breast milk from a bottle anyways. And I wouldn't have gotten pregnant with Bekah if I had continued to breastfeed him. I only lasted 6 months with Bekah because I needed to go on an antibiotic for 2 weeks so I just quit. I lasted 10 months with Jake because he was a good sucker and by then I could nurse and walk around and yell at the other two.
Getting a nanny: LOSER! You are a stay-at-home-mom and you have a nanny how fucking lazy are you?! This is what I used to think about women with nannies. Then when Bekah was 5 weeks old I was nursing her and Mike got mad because Sesame Street ended so he launched himself off the couch, did a flip, landed on his head, held his breath and passed out. I thought he was going to be a paraplegic. I put Bekah on the floor and dialed 9-1-1. Mike was of course fine and showed the super cute firemen his firetruck. I was still in my jammies with milk leaking from my breasts and generally looked like shit. The next day I started the search for a nanny and I never looked back. When you find the right person to care for your kids you realize that there is nothing wrong with another person loving your children.
Abortion/Autism/The big V: Life was perfect! I had a boy, I had a girl, my husband's practice was going great, our house had gone up in value and then blam I got pregnant again! The birth control pill failed me for the first time in my life. I was NOT going to have 3 kids all under the age of 3 years old and all in diapers, oh hell no!!!!! But my husband talked me out of it, he said,"Families who can afford to feed their kids don't have abortions.". And I am glad I listened. He did schedule a vasectomy that day to be done in the future.
Some of you may be thinking that, "Wow she chose to have her son and then he ended up having Autism. I wonder if she regrets that.". No. He's the cutest one. I don't regret, I don't resent. His dimples, big brown eyes and blonde curls are those of an angel. And that's what he is. A mystery, a challenge, an angel. Every day I am a better person because of him. That doesn't mean I don't yell at him like I do to my other two but sometimes when nobody is looking I give him extra candy. He's my baby. He's my heart walking outside of my body that I will never be able to fully protect.
Some of you may be thinking that, "Wow she chose to have her son and then he ended up having Autism. I wonder if she regrets that.". No. He's the cutest one. I don't regret, I don't resent. His dimples, big brown eyes and blonde curls are those of an angel. And that's what he is. A mystery, a challenge, an angel. Every day I am a better person because of him. That doesn't mean I don't yell at him like I do to my other two but sometimes when nobody is looking I give him extra candy. He's my baby. He's my heart walking outside of my body that I will never be able to fully protect.
Please watch this video while I go dab my eyes. It never fails to make me laugh.
Buying this house: I miss my old house. It had a giant grassy yard with tons of trees. But it was too small for our growing family. So we put it up for sale, and selling that house and moving into this house, which tanked in value almost did me in. I started to bite my fingernails for the first time in my life. Keeping a house clean enough to sell with 3 kids under the age of 3 was brutal and then moving and unpacking......actually I never finished unpacking and we have been here for 4 years. But we have a bigger house and someday the value will be regained. And our old house was perfect for the family that moved into it.
Anti-depressants: Shortly after we moved into this house I started to wean Jake. I had gotten pregnant so quickly after having Bekah and Mike that I never experienced any post-partum "feelings". I really thought I had escaped it, and I was so happy because that sure didn't look fun. And then I weaned Jake and my body was not nursing and not pregnant for the first time in 3 years. I won't share the gory details, if you have been there yourself you don't want to hear it anyways. I used to think anti-depressants were for weak people. IDIOT!!!! I will never go off of them, ever. If momma ain't happy then ain't nobody happy.
Starting my blog: I had another blog before this, "You Sure Do Have Your Hands Full." Erik suggested I write to help me get stuff off my chest. Marrying him was the best choice I ever made even though he created a monster with the whole blog thing. It was a great idea but it got me in trouble and that blog is private now. Read below.
Quitting the Mom's Club before getting kicked out: I promise not to rehash this embarrassing episode of my life. You can read about it here. I don't regret that because I wouldn't have started this blog.
Mike's Diagnosis: March 2 years ago my oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD and Sensory Processing disorder and my youngest was diagnosed with Autism. Not a good month. I went through all the stages of denial etc. etc. and now I look at Mike's diagnosis as a gift and Jake's as a challenge. All my children are gifts I don't deserve.
Re-joining the Mom's Club: Yep after all that drama I asked to return. I still had a young one at home and he needed socialization. I am totally glad I did even if I had to swallow my pride.
Almost losing my colon: The last year and a 1/2 were the worst for my health. I have Ulcerative Colitis and almost lost my colon. Last ditch switch to a new medication and I am totally happy and healthy again.
Right now: I am good! I am healthy, so are my kids. All of them are excelling in school and we are taking Jake to a developmental pediatrician to get a more detailed treatment plan. My husband is moving into a brand new office and even though he is a grouchy ass nervous wreck right now, it's going to be wonderful. I have an awesome support system of friends and family and I am so grateful for everything in my life.
I don't regret anything. Here is a song to express my feelings.
Wait for it.......right after the minute mark and it's worth it.
