TO ALL MUMMIES:

Before I was a Mum
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.
Before I was a Mum
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mum
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words of lullabies.
Before I was a Mum
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations
Before I was a Mum
I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Spit on
Chewed on
Peed on
Or pinched by tiny fingers
Before I was a Mum I had complete control of:
My thoughts
My body
And my mind
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mum
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mum
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mum.
Before I was a Mum
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
Could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Mum
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
Every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay
I had never known the warmth
The joy
The love
The heartache
The wonder
Or the satisfaction of being a Mum.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mum.