While we don’t want to undermine the importance of other parents (we have many other appreciation posts for them, like this one here), as you’ve probably noticed, today we’re shining the light on moms.

To learn more about motherhood from moms themselves, Bored Panda reached out to mom bloggers Annie and Kate, who kindly agreed to tell us all about their experiences. Interestingly enough, both of them describe motherhood as transformative.

"Being a mom has meant discovering a whole new version of myself," said Kate. "I have been surprised at both my strength and also how overwhelmed I get. It's about counting to ten when I need patience (hence my blog name!), learning to navigate the beautiful chaos of family life, and discovering that my heart can somehow grow bigger with each passing day."

"Being a mom is the single most transformative experience I've had," Annie seconds. "I have always known I wanted to become a mom, but I didn't fully understand what it meant until becoming one myself. It is so incredibly special to see these little humans who look like me grow, learn, and explore their world. I am so blessed and honored to get to help shape their lives, show them love, and give them a safe and happy home."

Annie experienced one of the biggest joys of motherhood when she got to hold her newborns for the first time. "Holding that tiny, precious baby in my arms after the miracle of pregnancy is one of my favorite parts of motherhood. I also get a lot of joy from observing my kids play, learn, and explore," she shared.

"From quiet moments reading together to seeing their faces light up at animals at the zoo, I love their zest for life, their unguarded expressions of feelings, and how they make me see things differently. I found that I'm forced to slow down and go at their pace, and that is such a gift. It helps me experience the simple joy of daily life that sometimes gets lost in our fast-paced lives."

Kate agrees that the joys of motherhood come in both big and small moments. "It's in those spontaneous cuddles, watching their faces light up when they finally get something after repeated tries, and even in those quiet moments when they're finally asleep."

One thing that Kate said she would never do with her kids before becoming a mom is let them eat in front of the TV or use tablets at restaurants.

"Now I understand that sometimes you need to be practical rather than perfect. I've learned that being a good mother isn't about following all the "rules" I made before I had children—it's about finding what works for your family while keeping everyone (including mom!) happy and sane," she says.

Meanwhile, for Annie, it was talking about kids on date nights with her husband. "I remember talking with one of my mom friends while I was pregnant with my first and hearing about how she and her husband, even when they get out for a rare date night, spent much of their date talking about their kids. I swore that I'd never do that," she recalls.

"Flash forward to becoming a mom, and I have to admit that my husband and I often spend our date nights talking about our kids, looking at pictures of them, and looking forward to seeing them sleeping sweetly when we return home. While I absolutely think time alone as a couple is so important, what I know now is that becoming parents changes everything about your life, and it's only natural to talk about things that are important to you."

Lastly, we were curious to know the things they wished someone would have said to them before becoming a mom. "I wish someone had told me that it's okay not to love every moment of motherhood," shares Kate. "Between juggling their needs, work, and trying to maintain some sense of personal identity, there are challenging days. I wish someone had said that feeling overwhelmed doesn't make you a bad mother, it makes you human."

Whereas Annie says, "I wish someone would have been able to explain the feeling of absolute love that I would experience that would allow me to make it through the difficult moments.

We so often hear about the challenges and downsides of motherhood, and while these are undoubtedly real, what we don't hear about is that moms are also given the inner strength and resilience to overcome the challenges. My capacity for caring for others, love, gratitude, and joy have all increased. I always knew I wanted to have kids, but I didn't understand how it would change everything. Becoming a mom is truly a superpower, and I am so blessed with being able to birth and now raise my five babies," she fondly shared.