Five years ago today, my life was changed forever.
Over those years we have hundreds of pictures documenting it all, but today I am here to talk about the story the pictures do not tell.
Five years ago, I was promoted to a new full time position in life- called “Motherhood”. My boss was the most teeny, tiniest, most demanding boss I had ever had… waking us every 3 hrs at night, spitting up all over the place, crying and never telling us (or even hinting!) what would make him stop.
<–Don’t be fooled by his ridiculous cuteness… He was ruthless.
What this picture doesn’t tell you is that I was petrified… and convinced he hated me (true story).I went through a nasty bout with Postpartum Depression- that seemed to last forever. Unlike in the movies- I didn’t want to “hurt” my baby– I just wanted to cry… and I did- A-LOT. (Thankfully-) there are no pictures of that.While Mr.Complicated got to continue his career- business as usual- I went through a whole adjustment period of “What do I do?… do I stay home with him?… can I still work in the city?… Maybe I should work closer to home.”- which is ultimately what I chose to do at that time. Mima watched the baby and I visited on my lunch break… and eventually the little boss man warmed up to me… in fact he kind of liked me… and I was completely in love.
We took the boss everywhere with us. Some very exclusive trips- like this one to Tampa where we partied back stage with Brooks & Dunn … what this picture doesn’t say is that this was both the 1st and probably the lamest concert of the boss man would ever experience in his life- and Mom & her Boss, The Complicated Boy- left early to head back to the hotel while Mr. Complicated stayed back to rock out by himself (whomp whomp).
Motherhood brought many challenges, but perhaps the most challenging was the decisions I had to make- while putting aside my own feelings- and learning to think about The complicated boy first.
Like when "Popps" (my father) wanted to be in little man's world after being absent from mine from 8 years.<-- yea, I was unsure too lil man.What this picture doesn't show is exactly how much his eyes lit up the first time he met little man on his first Christmas... and as rocky of a road as it was- and how resentful I felt... this picture cannot show how thankful I am now to have had these moments- before Popps left this world.Motherhood taught me how truly fortunate both me and little man were to have an amazing man like Mr.Complicated as the Daddy/Hubby. And every year, we made sure we celebrated Father's day BIG- with a day at the beach in Point Pleasant. What this picture doesn't show is how jealous I was that I knew Mother's day would never get this royal treatment since its too damn cold in May!Like when "Popps" (my father) wanted to be in little man's world after being absent from mine from 8 years.<-- yea, I was unsure too lil man.What this picture doesn't show is exactly how much his eyes lit up the first time he met little man on his first Christmas... and as rocky of a road as it was- and how resentful I felt... this picture cannot show how thankful I am now to have had these moments- before Popps left this world.
What it also doesn’t show is that the next year would go a little something like this —>
(tee hee. tee hee.)Father’s Day wasnt the only holiday we documented over 5 years, there were Christmas, Easters– and Halloweens…
Like this one where we dressed the boss man as the cutest Dalmatian ever.
What this picture doesn’t show is that we kinda sorta forgot about Halloween that year because of our wedding planning earlier that month…so Boss man’s costume was picked out of desperation, and was 3 sizes too big (but I hemmed it!)…. but we nevertheless pulled it off! :) (o yea, and I’m Snooki Polizzi Orange cause we had just returned from Aruba- not cause I fake baked.)
There are also TONS of Birthday Pictures that have many stories behind them
For the 3rd Birthday, the boss began stepping up his birthday game and of course picked the most obscure television show ever to theme his day.... Lazy Town.What this picture doesn't show is family members shopping through German websites for gifts, and me spending hours painstakingly making cupcake toppers and various other Lazy Town decorations to make the lil man's birthday wishes happen.Like the 2nd "Birthday Brunch" where I dreamt up an enclosed tent and a brunch-feast including the world's biggest carrot cake from Harold's Deli.What this picture doesn't show is that it was 30 degrees this year, Mr Complicated was out looking for a heater for the tent at Midnight, Papa spent hours before insulating it more and me and cousin Linda were up making (possibly drinking) Vodka- sauce til 2am... all for the boss man.Slightly before his 3rd birthday, lil man started drawing PEOPLE! I couldn't help but take a picture.
But what the picture doesn’t show is that I also called probably every other Mom I knew to ask “when did your child start drawing people?”… because I was convinced I had a child genius and possibly thought I needed to start looking into schools for gifted children.Also shortly before the 3rd birthday, (which I will not show in pictures)…Potty Training was successfully completed… and I cried. Never imagined potty training would bring this Mama to tears- but it did. I was so proud.
Almost as proud as I was to experience this moment-
And what that picture doesn’t show is that the sweet little baby that Boss man is kissing was colic…
<—Better illustrated here…. that clearly shows by baby’s choice of fingers that Mommy has her handsful.
But of all the things I’ve learned and experienced in 5 years of Motherhood-
Perhaps can best be summed up in what this picture doesn’t show:
That as much as I complain- now as a work-at-home Mother of 2, still trying to figure this parenting thing out and stressing about my unbalanced days-
I wouldn’t change it for the world… because ironically all of this complicated madness- has made me who I am today- for better or for worse- and I know that I couldn’t be blessed any more than I am… all because I took on the title of MOM Five years ago today.
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Happy 5th Birthday Baby Boy! :)
