This wasn't in the job description

When I decided to become a mother I knew it would be work, I just had no idea of what kind of work motherhood entailed. None. Seriously most days I am surprised at the things I do, things I said I'd never do, things I still don't want to do, and things I never imagined my former self doing and not getting completely grossed out and vomiting. Yes, welcome to motherhood and here is the detailed job description.

In my old life, finding out I had to do 4 evaluations and reports by last week was a bad day. Today having a blow out in Chick fil a and not having a spare diaper or an extra set of clothes is a bad day. There are still bad days and good days, hard days and easy days, carefree days and really stressful days, they are just very different.

Today was a bad day, a stressful day and a hard day. Meredith is currently potty training and doing fantastically well. She has learned to hold it, she has learned that she will get an urge to go potty, and she knows where it needs to go. Only thing is she really doesn't like to go lately. She can be so stubborn when she wants and has learned to hold it forever. When we first started she learned to hold it for two days and that she made her a little constipated, so when she couldn't hold it anymore it hurt. Which quickly led to the assumption that using the potty hurts, I could see how this would make total sense to a two year old.

Well now we are on a roll, Meredith has been holding it for 4 days. She had no idea how painful that will make her and it is my job to make sure she doesn't hold it for 4 days. Ummm what? I clearly remember reading lots of parenting books, making sure your child didn't go 4 days in a row without a bowel movement was not in any one of them. Today I called the pediatrician's office to see what I should give her. What I was supposed to do? Explain that this situation is not in my parenting manual and..... when I told the nurse how many days it had been I could hear the alarm in her voice.

How was I supposed to know? She wasn't walking around crying or complaining, she didn't seem to be really upset and uncomfortable until last night and first thing I did this morning was call you!

I DIDN'T READ ABOUT THIS IN "What do expect when expecting" LADY!!!

So we went to see the pediatrician and he and I had a little chat. I got a little more information about my job description. I am learning that things are just added to that little list of responsibilities daily, whether I want them or not, whether I like them or not, and whether I think I can handle them or not. I made a mental note, hopefully if and when the need arises I will remember his advice.

No dealing with constipation, inserting suppositories, monitoring bowel movements were not in what I thought was the job description. I am learning that the job description of a mother is one that is constantly evolving. One that keeps you on your toes. One that makes you so tired, so frustrated, so happy, so angry, so joyful, so excited and SO overwhelmed all at the same time.

So tell me what part of motherhood did you not know was in the job description?