"If you're not ready to have your heart broken, you're not ready to be a parent".......

I was watching an episode of Brothers and Sisters this morning and this was a line from Rob Lowe's character that really rang true for me. This week has been one in which I have been dealing with an intensity of different emotions that comes with being a parent. For some reason, there seems to have been a shift with my Little Boo Boo and it feels like he aged a year over night. This may have something to do with the fact that my husband got Boo Boo's hair cut (no more long, little baby hair), so now my Boo Boo looks like a real little boy. Along with the loss of hair appears to have come some new phrases and attitudes that I can't say I want to stick around very long. If I never hear the words "Stop", "No" and "Don't want" ever again, it will be too soon. They are often accompanied by a tantrum that comes out of nowhere and lasts for anywhere up to 30 minutes - while I go through a mixture of emotions including heartbreak over the fact that he is so upset and I have no idea why, frustration that I can't seem to do anything about it, exhaustion from the mental strain of going through this every evening this week, and desperation at the thought that this is what my life will look like from now on (I know that this phase, like all others will pass, but when you are in it with no sign of it letting up, fear does start to creep in....!). On the flip side is the feeling of utter love that comes when his little head rests on my shoulder and he clings to me like a koala, or he pouts his little lips to give me a kiss. Talk about intense roller coaster ride! I totally get that this is what parenting is, but hopefully next week can be a little less intense so that Mummy can catch her breath and regain her sanity!