Is it harder now?

I often get the question if it is hard to have a baby? What is my life like now? And, is it harder when she was a newborn or now at 7 months?

When Chloe was first born we seemed to have a never ending line of visitors. In fact, it got so busy around here I had to keep a chart of who was coming when, by the hour. It was awesome, exhausting and overwhelming to be so loved and have all our friends and family be so excited for the new addition. Mostly we sat around and stared at the baby and sometimes dinner arrived. Family was here to help with the laundry, dishes, cleaning etc and it was nice to get a break from it all. I got to sit (c section only allowed me to sit) and nurse Chloe all day long. My Mom made me my favorite foods and friends pitched in here and there.

Well, after thinking about this for a week or so I can honestly say that it is harder now. MUCH HARDER!!! Chloe is more awake, needs more attention than ever, and no one is coming around anymore with the dinner cart. It is all on Russ and I now. I take care of Chloe all day, socialize her which involves packing up a car, hauling her around, carrying 20 things at once!), I clean all the time, I make EVERY meal, vacuum every other day, the dishwasher is run every night (sometimes twice in one day), nurse every 2-3 hours...the list goes on. There is always something that needs doing. When I used to "work" the laundry could wait till the weekend, I could stop at the store on the way home and it took 5 min to run in and out, you can pick up take out without having to change a diaper in the restaurant, you can answer the phone at anytime of day, complete a task from start to finish, sleep in if you feel like it...etc, etc. Life was much easier. I know the grass is always greener on the other side, but now having done both, the grass was greener, BUT I was never this much in love! I feel more complete as a person, more happy than ever and absolutly love the hard work. I LOVE my family!!!!!!! Crazy I know, but it is true.

I feel more busy than ever and seem to only sit down for one hour a night (which also involves me folding laundry...there is a pile with my name on it to the right of me at this very second!) I know that this is my life now and I am not complaining, I love it...but for anyone out there who has not had a baby yet. Enjoy the first two months! The first two month are easy!!! You can watch TV when nursing, read when nursing, talk on the phone, lay the baby down while you take a shower, sleep in every morning. Yes, you get up every 3-4 hours, but breakfast is made when you get up (because your family is there to help).

So yes, it is harder now! Everything has changed. But life is way more fun!