I’ve been the mom of such an endearing little boy for over a year now, and I can now say that having children changes your life. Not only is our daily life turned upside down, but becoming a mother changes you profoundly and makes you see life through new eyes. Although I am still the same girl with the same values and passions, I have learned a few key lessons that make me a different person today…

Practicality takes precedence over style

I still remember how adamant I was before I had Max: I didn’t want toys that were too colorful, no neon pacifiers or clothes featuring superheroes… I was convinced that I would be the kind of mom who would never, ever let chaotic life take over style. Alas… I failed (!) I still obviously prioritize clothes and accessories that I like, but I’ve learned to let go when the only pair of boots that fit my little man is a pair of purple boots that once belonged to his cousin, or that Maxi swears by his awful green pacifier and refuses to use the pretty beige pacifiers I bought him. His happiness before mine, that’s all.

How important sleep is

I already talked about it in an article on sleep training, but I believe that it remains to this day one of my greatest lessons regarding motherhood. Sleep is not only precious, it is necessary in order to function well. Even if we thought we were doing the right thing by taking Max as soon as he was crying for us, we only burned the candle at both ends by exhausting ourselves, in addition to never teaching our baby to sleep well without us. An exhausted mom is not a healthy mom, and that’s a lesson to never forget.

Life is more beautiful, but also scarier

I’ve always been an anxious girl who thinks a little too much. I knew I would probably be a pretty protective mom, but since I’m quite open to the world and love to travel, I thought I’d still be zen on some points. It must also be said that I became a mom during a pandemic (which in itself would be worth a whole article), but the little things that bothered me slightly before have become much bigger dangers since then. I work hard at letting my guard down, letting people into my little boy’s life, letting him discover and explore at his own pace without worrying too much, but now I understand that I will never be as zen as I was before I became a mom.

I learned to love routine

Me, enjoying the routine? Not a chance. I have always had a disdain for ordinary evenings, fixed schedules, days that look the same and follow one another. Really, until I had Maximiliano, my weeks were busy, I traveled a lot and I was just going from meetings to events in one day. The pandemic came at the same time, but I’ve understood since Max’s arrival that routine means peace of mind. Routine is reassuring and important for a baby, I understood it especially since we did the sleep training, and since then, I have become completely predictable and so homely, something I don’t hate so much after all.

Instinct is never wrong

I, who never considered myself a mother, always knew deep down that I would be a good mother. By navigating through all these first times, we make mistakes, we learn and above all, we quickly realize that our instinct is our best friend. No book, no outside advice will come to take over what our little voice tells us, because every baby is different, and there is no one better than us to know what is right for our child.

Google is a valuable tool

Okay, Google can easily mislead us or make us anxious, but it’s also a valuable ally when you become a mom. What did mothers do before the arrival of the internet?! I have a few books on motherhood but I must admit that I’ve used the magic of Google more often to answer my questions (at what age can you introduce such a food, what to put on irritated skin, etc.) Honestly, today’s moms really have it easier than before!

Time flies, for real

Oh do we often hear this sentence, and yet, it’s difficult to really understand the depth of these words until we hit our thirties, or until we become a parent. Seeing your child grow and develop at a crazy speed is magical; it forces us to stop and be grateful for what we have. Time flies by, you have to live in the present moment and make the most of it.

What is real love

Obviously, love takes on a whole new meaning when you become a mom. There are no words to describe what you feel towards your child, it is such a strong, unconditional and pure feeling, it is pure love. I was told that this love only increases over time, and to be honest, I don’t know how I could love this precious little human being even more! It’s so beautiful to be a mom, isn’t?