Why you love being a parent :)

[cloudlessskies]

Hi all,
After many months of discussion of the pros and cons of having children. DH and I have decided to 'casually try' for a little one.
I am super scared and unfortunately some threads on here don't make me feel any better!
So, please tell me what you enjoy about being a parent/what has made you smile today!

I love that you see the world as new through their eyes
I love the excuse to take pleasure in loads of small silly things like jumping in puddles and making bug houses
Making them laugh is the biggest high in the world
Their cuddles and love. They really do think you are the most beautiful wonderful person in the world for a short time
Having something of vital importance to do with your life no matter what else goes pear-shaped. Being responsible for their happiness and health and welfare is such a simple and important job.
I love the teaching aspect of it - teaching them new games and how to cook, or how to care for animals or tie their shoes. It's very rewarding.
It's so exciting seeing them grow and develop their interests and passions.
They are so cute and squidgy and warm and snuggly and giggly. They make you laugh and they fill your heart with joy.

And they widen your world. Recently DS2 has got into cooking. he wants to cook with me but his recipes are far more ambitious than I've ever made. He's encouraged me not to end up just being able to make spag bol and Victoria sponge! The music they listen to, too. One of them loves Skrillex but it gave me a headache so he found a piano version and gave it to me for my birthday. It's like Bach. Now I can hear the melodies inside the noise and I love listening to his dance music too. They stop you being close minded and narrow in your outlook.

Op I didn't want kids but DH did and I agreed to have one. He is the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. The best bit are the laughs. Only he can make me pee in your pants laugh. I was the least maternal person ever but I would never want to go back to my life without him.

If you have a supportive partner and a good support network I imagine it could be pretty brilliant.

Some of the threads you've read will be by people who just don't have enough emotional support.

I found the baby stuff was wonderful ( not everyone finds that the most difficult bit).

main things

unconditional love
getting to be a big kid again

Right, I'm convinced! we're going for it.
All of your comments have made me appreciate that this is an experience I/we don't want to miss out on. Thanks for pointing out the positives ladies xx
A work colleague who has one DC and another on the way and felt the same as me but decided to take the plunge told me 'We still have some days where we wake up and think -gosh, we nearly didn't do it and thank our lucky stars that we did.
A friend has had difficulty trying to conceive and that has scared me.
I've downloaded an app to track my cycle!!

Just the pure, perfect love I have for my son, and the love he has for me. It's not like anything I could ever have imagined. It makes me well up just thinking about it.

Also, the immense pride I feel with every little achievement. If he does something clever or kind. I swell up like a big balloon.

And I could gaze for hours at his beauty. He is so perfect it is mesmerising.

And seeing how lovely DH is with him makes me love my DH more deeply. Having DS has cemented our relationship.

So much love! I am a lucky woman.

Seeing the world through DS eyes.
When he tells me he loves me very much and gives me the biggest hug.
When he's just so happy he bursts into song and rock guitar actions in Tesco!
The cheeky, no holds barred laugh.
Colouring in.
Having little chats about all kinds of things.
Having an excuse to dance around the living room or run about the garden with bubble wands.

I get to do all the stuff I loved doing as a kid, all over again. DD1 is 3 and we have spent every weekend we can spare this year doing day trips - castles, long walks, seaside - it's made me so happy seeing her enjoying it, though she does have to be bribed with ice cream to do the walks sometimes...

I love getting to re-read all my favourite books to my children. I love snuggling with them in bed. I love the chats DD1 and I have on the way back from nursery. I love watching her make friends and properly playing with them. I love listening to DD2 chattering to herself in her cot when she wakes up.

I had very high hopes of parenthood- I was one of those girls who always wanted to be a 'mummy' - but it hasn't disappointed in any way.

"Chub chub legs" is what I call my toddlers chubby little legs. They're just the best!

DS nearly 16, I have absolutely nuffink to make me feel glad I had him.

Actually that's a lie, he is kind, sensitive, polite, humorous and thoughtful young man.
He has a fanclub of girls who rate him as their best friend plus friends of his grandparents who say he is the most likeable young man they know.

He has made me sad, worried, stressed and desparate at various times but to hear how well others speak of him makes it all worth while.

*desperate

6 and 4 year old - at times they can be hard work but they are so gorgeous and I really love talking to them and listening to the things they say. They are both turning into people I enjoy spending time with AND now I have perspective on life that I would never have had before. Nothing is as important as my kids and I don't waste time worrying about minutiae.

When you look in the cot when they're first born and can't believe that you've made something so unbelievably perfect. Mine are now 17 and 18 and my love for them is stronger than it's ever been. I love their company. Go for it. There will be fun, laughter, tears and tiredness (oh! The tiredness!) but you'll never regret it. Good luck.

My dd is 16 months and she is utterly hilarious and gorgeous and loving. She was laughing hysterically today because I was nodding my head in an exaggerated fashion, it made me laugh because she was laughing so much - moments like that I just think are amazing and totally make all the less fun bits worth it.

Yeay OP is going for it !
You started an amazing MN thread that has made me well up over and over again.
Honestly yes I now understand why parents moan a lot - but as someone once described by a very good friend as 'the least maternal person I know' I am so amazed by the joy and pride of being a parent.
I could go on and on ( and on!) but I can recall pre DD arrival fretting to DH about 'someone ' coming to live with us forever.. Now I can't imagine my DC ever leaving home.
Tonight they ran round like crazed banshees but kissing me and DH over and over again - even our feet! So innocent and joyful and generally delightful ahhh am welling up again! They do change everything but I don't miss the previous life and I am constantly amazed by how much love there is in my little family!
Good luck

The thing is OP, how much you think you want to do it now will have no bearing on how much you will love your child when it arrives.

Trust me. My DS was unplanned, and looking back on it we were totally unprepared for the reality of it. however he is the most amazing boy, and I can't imagine the word without him.

He is 9 and the most lovely boy. Sometimes it's been tough, sometimes I've cried but we've made it so far. And the love you have for your child is enduring, it's relentless.. You don't stop the loving because it's a tough time. That's what pulls you through. You don't have a choice really.

It will be the best thing you ever do in your entire life without a doubt.

Great thread! Dd is 18 months now and an absolute joy in every way. I hated the first 6 months though. I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. I am saying that because I think it's good to know that even if you hate a certain period or aspect of parenthood, other bits will be truly amazing.

I have found parenthood hard (especially the baby stage) but I can honestly say the best bits are those sudden, astonishing moments of love when your child just does something utterly perfect - sings a funny song, gives you a hug at just the right moment, expresses kindness or sympathy. You realise there's a person there that you have made but they are becoming someone completely new right in front of you. It's a miracle really.

You'll also understand why people say they would kill someone to protect their child or die themselves. Because we all would in truth, without even thinking about it.

And also to be honest kids are hilarious. They just are :o

For me its the small isolated memories. When my daughter opened up a toy car on her second Christmas morning. It 'talked' to her, and she let out this crazy giggle. It was distilled joy. I'd never heard pure joy before. When my son, who is 6months old, laughs with me at his sister. He can't walk, talk, or eat solid food but we have in jokes. We have a language no one else speaks. It's wonderful.

Being a parent means experiencing feelings that you have never felt before: from utter despair and pain at times to such pride that your heart wants to burst through your rib cage! It is a roller-coaster and if you take your foot off the pedal there will be one almighty crash. But boy it is so worth it. My eldest DD is now 18 and will go off to university in September. I am already mourning the loss of her as she is immensely good company and I cannot believe that I produced such an amazing human being. Sitting on her bed today comparing our shellac nails and chatting about what dress she should wear to her party tonight was a precious moment. I feel honoured that I have been able to have children (who did not come along easily). OP you will not regret it. The moment LO is born you will understand what true love is.

The best thing is indeed that unconditional love you both get and feel. When they are little you have that cuteness and funniness too. I don't think anyone in life has ever greeted me as excitedly and happily as a child after I have been away. It's just lovely to be wanted :D. I also have teens and they are great too: chatting partners about pretty much anything and on top of that they can help around the house too (with a little encouragement).
What I found was that after having babies, my interest in going out reduced drastically. I don't really like leaving them as babies. Whenever I left the house without them at that age I really felt like part of me was missing. Obviously as they get older, you get that less and now I happily leave them behind.
Don't be worried or scared. I think having children is something people overthink a bit nowadays.

Epic love

Epic love for people who want to be loved

Epic love for interesting funny people

Really good company

Surprising. Make me laugh. Give me love. Kind to me.

Make me breakfast in bed, even when they were very little.

Think I'm fab.

Think I'm a good cook, even though I'm not.

Joy. Contentment.

Self expands. Love equalises. Connect to other parents everywhere.

Great smelling necks and heads. Squishy bits.

Epic, great love.

Watching my four-year-old son jump up and down behind the bed shouting 'peek-a-boo' to his six-month-old sister until she laughs hysterically in a way her dad and I can't get her to.

To see two people that you have created love each other unconditionally just makes my heart explode with love.

Knowing that you would give your life for each of your kids.

Watching your husband become the best father you could ever have imagined.

A house full of chaos and laughter.

To experience how my kids have mellowed me and changed my outlook on life. Nothing is black and white anymore.

The chaos and noise