Our daily bath time ritual is one of those parenting moments when I feel intense conflicting emotions. On one hand, she’s just so darn cute; piles of white glistening bubbles sit atop her head, she sings the alphabet in her tiny high-pitched voice and loves to ask for various parts of my limbs to wash, which she does ever so gently while looking up at me and saying “Yaeli washes mama”. On the other hand, I’m just so frickin tired. I want it to be over. I want to brush her teeth and put her to bed so I can have some “me” time. I want her to stop splashing water everywhere and I don’t want to put all the foam letters away once she’s done. Motherhood has taught me many things, but the ability to feel two things at once is a state-of-mind I’ve come to accept, sometimes even embrace. Because after we have brushed the teeth, sang the song, read the book, and turned out the light; after I have left the room and am so ready for some “me” time, I end up lying on the couch, baby monitor in hand, listening intently as she sings herself to sleep.
