“When I woke up the other morning, I noticed this image on my phone.”
I’m right in the middle of everything right now. That’s how the baby trenches look. That night, though, it was my husband’s turn to wake up with the baby. After changing, feeding, and putting the baby down, he snatched this photo of me and my daughter (who crawled into bed with us at some point during the night).
I never share a self-portrait that I haven’t “posed” for. However, this time is different. This photograph was one-of-a-kind.
“The last few weeks have been quite difficult. It’s all too easy to underestimate how demanding a newborn may be. How physically, psychologically, and emotionally drained you become. You’re already fatigued when two more children are thrown into the mix. “Every time.”
“Some of my daily chores include diaper changing, newborn holding, wiping tears, cleaning spills, doing laundry, washing dishes, and taking frequent snack breaks.”
“I don’t wash my hair daily. As a result of my lack of sleep, my eyes are puffy and have bags under them. My clothes are probably certainly ruined with spit-up or food. My hair is always pulled back into a mother bun. My makeup has completely disappeared.”
“And this image depicts everything. Although it isn’t attractive, it depicts one of the most difficult tasks in the world: parenting.”
“I want to reflect on this time in my life. It’s easy to forget that you’ll eventually miss something in the trenches, so I needed this picture as a reminder.”
“Sleepless evenings will not upset me as much as rocking and hugging my babies to sleep. I can feel their tiny chests breathing in and out as their tiny fingers wrap mine.”
“The weeping fits won’t worry me as much as the ability to soothe my kids down with a hug and a peck on the cheek.”
“I’ll miss being able to wipe up their messes with soap and water more than I’ll miss cleaning up the spilled milk.”
“I will not miss having a painful neck and back from sharing a bed with my children. However, I’ll miss seeing their faces when I wake up. Those early embraces will be missed.”
“I want to reflect on this time in my life.”
“I don’t want to forget this moment of fatherhood, no matter how difficult and overwhelming it can be.”
“As a result, remember to remind your husband or love partner. They have to take these images of you, so remind them.”
“You should be proud of these photographs.”
