Things I wish someone had told me about being a mom

Two nights ago I was dreaming that someone had put one of those Victorian pan warmers in my bed. I woke up and Lotus was in bed with us running a fever.

Lotus Fever hits my mom-panic button like nothing else.  It also really didn't help that I'm listening to Stephen King's The Stand on audio.  So I violated a cardinal rule of mommying.  I woke the baby to give her medicine.

Or at least that's what my dad said when I told him.

No one told me that waking the baby to give medicine will result in said baby (okay toddler--as she is 3) deciding that Mommy wanted to play and stayed up for another hour. I wish someone had told me that you never wake the baby--even with a fever.

Made me think about other things that I've learned in the past two and a half years that I wish someone had told me when I became a mom--or since.

1) The Mom Panic Button

I didn't know one existed. I was the third child. I can count on one finger the times I was sick that I even saw my mother worried. There are a few things that hit mine. A fever, as I mentioned. A certain cry that make me run--means she's really hurt.

2) I'm not a slow reader, I'm a doer

I always thought my mom was just a super slow reader.  Not so. I have a library book out that is overdue and I am reading it slowly. I don't mean to read it slowly but I barely have time to do anything and well, it is going slow.

3) They understand more than you think.

I got mad at my sister. I got annoyed at her and I vented to my husband. I did not realize that there was a little listener observing. The next time we saw my sister, Lotus was very cool to her. Afterwards I asked why. My little defender looked at me and said "She was mean to you!" Well, she had been--but she's my sister and sometimes she is. Sometimes I'm mean to her. But I realized that Miss Lotus had heard everything and was coming to my defense. I was touched and then had to explain how I am not mad at Aunt A.

4) You think you know tired--you don't know tired!

Which is why I'm cutting this short and going to sleep.

Parents, what did you wish someone had told you?