I was never a big weeper.
Sure, I cried when my rabbit froze to death (RIP Muffins) and I bawled at the ending of Beaches (you would have to be a MONSTER not to) but for the most part, I remained dry-eyed and stoic even when Take That broke up. Bad times.
But ever since I became a mother, I cannot stop yabbing.
I cried because they were so beautiful. I cried because I felt so lucky, and I cried because it made me feel a deeper kind of love for my husband. But becoming a mum has also created a crying monster – I’m not talking about crying about existential reasons like ‘what have we done’ or ‘who am I now’, but more the silly, hormonal, up-all-night emotional crying.
I am a fully fledged post-baby whinger. The other night I was inconsolable watching a programme where a small horse was pulling a heavy cart. And a single tear rolled down my face at a city farm recently as the little piglets suckled their mother.
Nowadays I have permanent cry-face. Sometimes I don’t even know why I am blubbing. It is fair to say that Motherhood has made me a big fat wuss.
Here are some of the things that have made me cry since becoming a mum:
1. In the hospital when I didn’t know how to change a boy’s nappy (it is just in the way)
2. Because I missed walking down the baby aisle in Dunnes. The little nappies, the mushy food. It has all just passed by much too fast.
3. Anything on TV with extinct or endangered animals is a no go. Iron Age the movie is banned in our house. I was never the same after Marley and Me, come to think of it, so domestic animals are out too.
4. Because my husband pretended to flick a spider at me. Not cool. It could have been poisonous.
5. Because my husband bought me cough bottle even though I didn’t even realise I was sick.
6. When my daughter went through her ‘dirty protest’ phase of smearing the contents of her nappy on the walls during naptime.
7. When my children ran around naked in the garden to avoid their bath. For an hour.
8. When I lost my son at a city farm during the school trip I was there to supervise.
9. Every time I watch Frozen. Her sister was her true love’s kiss. HER. SISTER. *Sobs into pillow*
10. Watching their peaceful innocent little faces when they are finally asleep. Well, it’s more of a lip wobble but I find the best cure is usually a glass of wine.
