I Wasn't Expecting That When I Was Expecting

There are certain things that I expected when I became a parent.  I knew that I would not have much time to myself.  I knew that I would not be able to sleep as late as I wanted.  I knew that my child would become my first priority and everything else would come second. 

However, there are things that have happened since I became a parent (some immediately and some took time) that I truly did not expect.

Here are just a few:

1.  I did not know that I would rarely be able to use the bathroom or shower by myself without a child knocking on the door (they knock if I am lucky) or barging right in.

2.  I did not know that I would have to share almost everything I ate...someone is always eating off of my plate (whether they have permission or not) or asking for a bite of what I have. 

3.  I did not know that I would buy all brand name clothes for my children and then purchase a pair of Faded Glory jeans from Walmart for myself.  I just NEVER saw that one coming.  But I only did that once after my second daughter because I refused to spend a lot on a pair of "fat" jeans.  I guess the joke was on me because the jeans still fit...but I rarely wear them because they have a rip in the crotch.  That's what you get when you buy a pair of jeans for $12.99. 

4.  I did not know that I would easily spend at least an extra $20 at the grocery store when my kids were with me.  How them being allowed to pick out one extra treat each turns into 10 extra things by the time we check out is beyond me.

5.  I did not know that a child smiling, laughing, sitting up alone, saying "ma ma" or "da da", crawling, walking, running, riding a bike, etc...would be such a big deal.  But it absolutely is a big deal.  Each milestone is a big deal.

So clearly there are certain things that a person might not be prepared for when they become a parent.  I know I certainly was not prepared for all the day to day "surprises" that came along with parenthood.  You just learn as you go.  And in my opinion, it is probably best that you didn't know all the gory details beforehand. 

So what about you?  Have you learned anything after becoming a parent that you did not expect?