This morning before I left for work I decided to sneak in and peek on my sleeping baby. I just had to see her before I left. I tiptoed quietly, and softly opened her door, and there in the darkness of her room I heard a small voice say, “Momma.” Simultaneously I noticed the little figure standing in the crib.
I was expecting her to be asleep, so for some reason it really freaked me out. I realized there are tons of moments like that in motherhood, moments where you’re shocked, surprised, or scared.
Sometimes it’s something unexpected, but simple. Other times it’s truly frightening, and occasionally heartbreaking. Perhaps it’s exasperating!
Thankfully I’ve never experienced a truly tragic moment in motherhood, but I have been through circumstances where I thought, what if _____ happened? or thank you Lord that it didn’t. Moms worry, and moms fret. Nothing builds trust in God like having children, but even then freak out moments occur.
Some freak out moments I realize are yet to come, and others may never occur. But one thing is for certain. In motherhood freak out moments are plenty. This list could go on forever, but here’s just 100 off the top of my head.
- When you sneak in to check on your sleeping baby, and their eyes are open.
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The sound of choking.
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When your toddler falls. Which happens a lot.
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Silence.
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When babies don’t sleep.
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When babies sleep too much, or too soundly.
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When your kid throws up.
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When you look up from your shopping list in the store, and you don’t immediately see your child.
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When the thermometer reads greater than 101.
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When other kids do things your kid can’t do.
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When you realize you’ve yelled all day.
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When you see blood.
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When your kid can’t poop.
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When you read WebMD.
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When you think your baby isn’t hitting milestones on target.
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When another mom asks what you think about _______, and you have no clue.
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The first time your child says, “you’re mean.” Not so much after that.
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When your baby coughs or develops a wheeze.
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As a first time mom; when people don’t wash their hands before holding the baby.
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When you worry too much about growth charts and percentiles.
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Anytime you watch the news.
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In the aftermath of a minor accident, when you think about how bad it could have been.
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In the middle of the night, when you think you may have given too much medicine.
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When you go to unload your baby from the car, and you realize they weren’t strapped in to their car seat.
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When you find your child in the floor with an empty container of anything.
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When you think for a second that your baby is not breathing.
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When your kid is sick, but you don’t know what it is.
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When you hear your child scream or cry out. It’s usually nothing, but for a moment…
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When you’re waiting on test or lab results.
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When the technician or nurse says “let me get the doctor.”
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When your child has an allergic reaction.
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When your kid asks how babies are made?
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When your kid hears you cuss.
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When they later repeat that cuss word.
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When they repeat that cuss word at church.
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When you realize your kid is acting just like you!
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When you realize your kid is acting just like your spouse!
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When your kid won’t stop picking their nose.
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When your kid picks their nose on a public stage, in front of an audience. And eats it. Sigh.
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When you and the spouse decide to have an intimate moment while the kids are asleep. But then they wake up.
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That first night you bring your newborn home. And they won’t stop crying. No matter what you do.
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First day of preschool.
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First day of kindergarten.
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First date.
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First day of college.
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Their wedding day.
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When you still have small kids like me, but realize that one day, sooner than you think, you’ll experience # 43, 44, 45, and dear Lord, 46 too!
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When your baby first starts to crawl and you see their bruised knees.
I seriously almost bought these: -
When you find your toddler holding a sharp object.
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When that first kid is two, and won’t eat anything but chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. For a full year.
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Those immediate two weeks after your first child is born. And you realize you have no clue.
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That postpartum period when you decide to take a mirror and look down there to assess the damage. Just don’t.
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When you look out the window in the backyard, and don’t immediately see your child.
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When you realize you were wrong. Bad wrong.
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When your child gets bit. By anything.
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When your child gets hit. By anything. Or anyone.
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When someone makes your kid cry.
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When your kid falls off the bed. Especially the first time.
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When your kid falls off the top bunk.
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When you catch your kid looking at porn.
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When your kid orders movies without asking.
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The first time your kid argues. And every time after.
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The first time your kid lies. And every time after.
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When your child has to be admitted to the hospital.
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When your baby finally falls asleep, and then the phone rings.
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When a stranger gives you unsolicited parenting advice.
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When a stranger corrects your child, and they did nothing wrong.
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When your baby finally sleeps through the night, but you can’t sleep because you’re worried when they don’t wake up.
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When you keep waking up because you think you hear your baby crying, but they’re fast asleep.
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The first time they hop out of the bouncy seat, and you realize that strap is there for a reason. *insert forehead slap
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When your kid first uses sarcasm, and you don’t know whether to be proud or annoyed. Maybe both?
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When your child almost gets attacked by a dog.
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When your kid has a bike wreck.
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When your kid has a car wreck.
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When your kid’s not driving yet, but you remember how bad of a teen driver you used to be.
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When you think about your kid dating.
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Puberty.
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Your child’s first broken heart.
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When your toddler first learns to climb.
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When you find your toddler on the kitchen counter.
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The first time you get peed on, puked on, or snot wiped on you.
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The first time your baby poops in the tub. After that it’s just comical. And annoying.
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When your toddler eats their first tube of Chapstick.
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When your toddler won’t stop eating your Chapstick.
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The first time you attempt to breastfeed in public.
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The first time a stranger says something offensive about you breastfeeding in public. Despite the fact that your breasts and infant are covered. And it’s 95 degrees out.
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The first time you leave for work, and your baby screams bloody murder.
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The first time you come home from work, and your child ignores you.
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When your child doesn’t want to be rocked to sleep anymore.
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When your child won’t sleep in their own bed.
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When your child won’t sleep in your bed anymore.
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When you are leaving, and you look back to wave goodbye, and they’re not looking.
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When you realize your baby is no longer a newborn.
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When you realize your toddler is no longer a baby.
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When your child can no longer wear 4T pants, and moves into the big kid sizes.
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When the dimples on your toddler’s hands are replaced with actual knuckles.
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When your child breaks a bone.
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When your newborn gets pneumonia. (True story.)
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When you spend your first night away from your child. (Nope, still haven’t crossed that bridge.)
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When my kids are old enough to read this list.
So what freak out moments can you add?
ckramercoaching says
I have so many!! Most of them are included in your list but here are a few of mine that aren’t.
1. When your older toddler and younger be sleeping and you to in their room to find the older one has opened every travel shampoo and powder container in the baby’s bed with the baby standing at the edge covered in much of it. They are having a great time.
2. When you are babysitting your 9-month-old niece and find out the hard way she has nursemaid’s elbow and accidentally dislocate it just by pulling up her sleeve so she can eat lunch.
3. When your 12-year-old son hugs you one evening after taking a 3-hour nap and his shoulders are higher than yours. You make him stand next to you in the mirror and he is finally taller than you. Sign.
4. When your 10-year-old son is a pinch taller than your 15-year-old daughter (she is now the shortest in the household). She sighed more than I did.
5. When you have to dress your youngest in neon colors so you can find him in a 4th of July crowd because he always walks away right when you then your back for a split second.
6. When your youngest bruises his arm badly but you don’t believe him because the front looks fine and he won’t let you look at it. You take him to the ER and don’t see the problem the whole time. He won’t let the doctor move it either. Xrays are normal. But the next day he lifts his arm and the entire back tricep is one big bruise……that’s why! Head slap.
7. When your youngest has a dirty face so often (even right after you clean it repeatedly) that you finally give up and only wash it before and after meals.
I’m sure there are more but these are the ones that stick out in my head.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
That’s great! Really enjoyed these. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa says
Your so funny!! I think you covered them all my love and I enjoyed reading them and remembering when those things were going on with my babies whom are now 31,25,19 and 13!!!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you!