You start being a mom...

The second you see those little lines show up on that stick. From that moment on you watch what you eat, make sure to take vitamins, exercise, don't drink or be within 20 feet of people smoking, or have caffeine or sushi or... the list goes on and on. From day one you are watching out for that little life every second of the day.

I have a lot of respect for a lot of dads I know. (My husband being right on the top of that list). But while they try very hard and work really hard... they don't know what it is like to make that split second change in every part of your thinking. They can walk away and drink a soda without thinking of how it will affect their belly. They can sleep on their back without thinking of how their blood is circulating. My husband is right there with me. He would jump the highest building if that was what was necessary, I'm sure. He is willing to make me food and give up his pillows, and change that extra potty accident that Dex had. However, he is also the first to admit that he has no idea what it is like to have a human being inside of his body.

Today I had a little scare. The baby wasn't moving nearly as much as he usually does. This freaked me out. It is such a huge responsibility to be the only one to know how that baby is doing at all times. No one else can see it. No one else feels the patterns of sleep and movement and intensity of that movement. It is your job, as the mom, to make the call as to whether your baby is ok or not. Tonight I got a little worried. It ended up with a phone call to the doctor and a trip to the hospital to get monitored for awhile.

Everything ended up 100% perfect. It is all great.

But, man. Being a mom is a huge responsibility. From the first second. I love my firstborn with all my heart. I am doing everything I can to nurture him and the life growing inside me. It is a full time, every second of every day job.

Here's to all the moms and moms-to-be out there. Like I said, mucho respect for sooo many dads. But, for this moment in time... Super kudos to those that had that extra nine months of being the (almost) sole beings in charge of that little life.