It’s been 2 years and 3 months since my husband and I became parents. Yup, I counted pregnancy since it definitely started upon our baby’s conception. As I have my morning moment today (meaning my quiet time while the babies are still asleep. But this doesn’t happen everyday), I remembered how our lives seemed to be so complicated for us back then without kids. We were wrong. Life was actually simpler. Now that we have 2 little humans to take care, love, and guide, we take it seriously and life from before branched out in complexities in all directions.

You know you’re a parent when (especially with small kids)…

1. You look at cars, your concern is how big the trunk space is for all the baby stuff and groceries.
2. Dirty diapers, poo, pee, spits, vomits are now usual sights when it extremely grosses you out before you had kids.Start pushing your grocery card forward and backward thinking it’s a stroller.
3. You start looking at all babies you see in the malls or when you go out when you barely notice most of them before.
4. You’re familiar with a lot of stroller brands, features, and differences.
5. You’d rather stay home on a Friday and Saturday night where there’s a possibility of being stuck in heavy traffic in the city
6. Taking your time in the bathroom is a luxury or the highlight of your day
7. Having your coffee hot is a big moment
8. Quiet time feels like being massaged in a spa
9. Half or more than half of your grocery or shopping cart are for baby
10. Having a massage or salon time is the best ever!
11. You lose track of your own bedtime
12. You forget how 8-hour sleep feels
13. You think of going to places only with a clean and complete comfort room
14. Places with a nursing station is on the top of your go-to list (when you’re breastfeeding)
15. Traveling will never be easy for now
16. Mom’s high heels take a backseat or not anymore an everyday staple
17. You find yourself humming nursery rhymes
18. You get excited when you see fruits, animals, and colors and start calling your kids to test them on how much they know them
19. You usually prefer comfort over style when you pick your clothes for the day
20. You think about the kids’ comfort before yourself
21. You’ve never seen yourself take a bath or eat so fast in your entire life
22. You hate the people and things that disturb or disrupt nap times
23. You seem to see all nursery, kindergarten, or any school signs and ads
24. You know and hate the feeling of stepping on a lego or building blocks
25.  Your bag and pockets contain a toy, pacifier, milk bottles, teethers, muslin or burp cloths, and other kid stuff
26. You know places with drive thru, easy and spacious parking, and are baby friendly
27. You learned to sleep in any position and at anytime of the day
28. Say goodbye to strong perfumes, serious makeuo, or lipsticks for a while
29. Some guys in Hi-5 or children’s shows start to look attractive. Yup, it happens
30. When your Google searches are mostly about kids
31. You can lose everything except for the pacifier, favorite toys or books, and of course your mobile phone
32. You start wanting to see poo and vomit first before getting rid of them
33. Friday means nothing related to party or drinks anymore
34. You know where toy shops and arcades are and know how to strategically avoid them too
35. Watching your child / children sleep makes you so happy and at peace
36. You need more supply of wipes and tissues
37. Your thoughts are 50% or more about your  children
38. You feel like you want to cry when you hear them say mom or dad for the first few times or even when they’re toddlers already
39. Mother’s day and Father’s day is an more important to you now than ever and your greetings are more sincere 😉

Kids are powerful blessings that change their parents’ lives for good. They give so much new meaning to life. But no doubt that taking care of kids are tiring.. Or shall I say exhausting?! But trust me, it gets easier and better everyday, every week, and every month. Enjoy them while they’re small before they go on dates or have their own schedules. I can’t even begin thinking about it. 🙂

“There’s no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.”- Sue Atkins