Here's a short (and adorable) introductory vid for your viewing pleasure: (PSA: This video has made me tear up and snarfle some I'm-Not-Crying tears. I think it may be the song. Or the babies. Or the sentiment. Either way, enjoy!)
Four years ago, I was a gal who was deathly afraid of
needles. Despite this, I applied for the job of Carrying A Baby To Term and
underwent a rigorous application process. It involved blood draw after blood
draw after blood draw (leading me to suspect that they had a master plan of
draining me dry over 40 weeks), and ultimately culminated with me walking in to
the O.R. to remove my stuck child with the help of an IV and a big ol’ spinal.
Close to two years later- and with the exact same pinchy
application process- I became a branch manager.
Each time, I found myself eagerly waking to the sounds of my
daughters’ midnight cries for food and comfort and perhaps a clean diaper
because a) endorphins are very real, very funny things, and b) I was thrilled
to be the CEO of my new corporation, Moms With The Necessary Equipment ‘R Us.
(Me.)
This job isn't for the faint of heart. The hourly wage is
lousy, and is usually paid out with Hello Kitty cash, pre-chewed. Office
tantrums can halt an entire day’s progress. And the working conditions can be downright
harsh/sticky/loud.
But I've cheerfully trudged through. I've gotten used to
fewer (and lesser quality) hours of sleep. Showers have become a luxury- and
one that can easily be pushed back a few hours/days if someone needs to be
comforted after a nightmare or convinced that her Goldfish aren't “feeling
angry.” And on at least one unfortunate occasion, I've crushed a yellow-jacket in
my bare hand to spare my kid’s forehead (and simultaneously made up a story about
Bee Heaven).
That’s not to say that this position doesn't have its
bonuses.
Because for every 2am shower-steaming session, every 6am
sheet-changing escapade, and every 11am suspicious thud followed by a panicked “Mom,” there’s a traced hand proudly
presented on a construction paper heart. A freshly shampooed head resting on my
shoulder that can make me feel like childhood will last forever. And the crazy knowledge
that, for all the degrees and training sessions in the whole wide world, not
one person could be my kids’ mother better than me.
Who needs overtime pay?
***
JOHNSON’S® Baby has
established JOHNSON’S® Baby CARES Care Cards, a digital e-card platform
encouraging moms to share positive messages of encouragement with other
moms across the country, while simultaneously supporting Save the Children®.
You can help, too! Simply pick and share a card filled with
messages of reassurance for a Mom in your life on Facebook at http://www. johnsonsbabycares.com. For every card sent, shared or liked, JOHNSON’S®
Baby will donate $1.00 to Save the Children® (up to $150,000) to benefit
early childhood education programs that foster education and reassurance
for new moms. These cards will not only spread encouragement to Moms throughout
the country but will also provide Moms in need with the skills and knowledge to
successfully support their child’s growth.
I was compensated for my work with Johnson & Johnson, but opinions are my own.
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