I’ve been a young girl. I’ve been a teenager. I’ve been a high schooler. I’ve been a college student. I’ve been an employee. I’ve been an intern. I’ve been an engaged woman. I’ve been a newlywed. I’ve been a college grad.

Now I’m a mom. I’ve gone through all those roles and have walked through each of those seasons of life. But you know what? I didn’t enjoy any of them nearly as much as I enjoy being a mom. I’m a mother.

I change diapers. I wipe boogies. My body was home to another human being for 39 weeks. I feed another human being from my body. I skip sleep and stay up rocking a teething baby at two in the morning. I read the same story over and over just because it keeps the tears at bay. I listen to the same lullabies ten times a day. I eat last. I kiss boo-boos. I’ve been peed on. I’ve been pooped on. I sleep on the edge of the bed just so baby can sleep peacefully. My arm has fallen asleep while holding a cranky, uncomfortable baby. I’ve been drooled on.

I don’t go to the bathroom alone. I don’t shower alone. I don’t sleep much. I hardly ever style my hair. I wear a dirty shirt by the end of the day. I barely have five minutes to myself. I experienced postpartum hair loss. I have stretch marks. Sometimes I breastfeed around the clock. I always share my food. I share the bed. My feet hurt by the end of the day from all the rocking and bouncing up and down just to get baby to sleep.

But I’m a mom. And I absolutely love it. This is the one role I wanted to be all my life and now I live it. There are days when I take a shower at 2pm. There are days I want to pull my hair out (but I realized that happened without me even trying). There are days I wonder what it’s like to be a college student and suntan on the beach. But I love my life. I love my role. I love being a mom to Eli. I love all the tears, the smiles, the laughter, the sticky hands, the poopy diapers, the snuggles, the boogies, the drool, the sweat from holding baby in 90 degree weather, and the crumbs on my clean clothes.

And because of my son, I have become a much more patient, loving, kind person.

Thank you Eli for making my job as a mom the best thing in the whole wide world.