Motherhood: Are You Ready for It? I Wasn't!

I remember that as a young child I always loved baby dolls. It didn't matter how big they were or what kinds of accessories came with them. Just as long as it was an adorable baby to love and care for. Every Christmas I would recevie at least one new doll to add to my ever growing family of babies. They didn't cry. They didn't dirty diapers, unless they were the ones who wet their diapers. They didn't scream and throw foods in the clean kitchen floor. They certainly never would have dreamed of getting into your brand new $8 splurge of lipstick and use it to draw a "horsie" on the bathroom wall.

I was the oldest of three children. I was always the one in charge of the other two on our school bus rides and when we were home alone. I learned very early what it meant to be a responsible person and to keep my siblings safe and sound. My little sister still looks up to me for help and advice and she's 24 years old and married now. Once when I was about 12 years old, I remember my dad telling me that he thought I would be a wonderful mother when I grew up. I appreciated that, especially coming from him.

As I got a little older I was known to babysit many of my young cousins. I can clearly recall three cousins particularly. They ranged from birth to 5 years of age. My most favorite of all was a newborn baby boy. He was my "regular". I babysat him every day of the week for a long while. I sat for him until he was 4 years old and went off to preschool. He was my "Little Guy" and I was his "Kwistee". I was heartbroken when he went off to school. But I suppose it was just a taste of things to come. I have to say though, that after all of the child care I had provided over the years, none of it truely prepared me for motherhood.