I get it

Before I had kids, there's a lot I didn't get about life and perspective as a parent, but now I totally understand. I get the allure of the minivan, the suburbs and the single-family home. I get the obsession with sleep schedules and developmental milestones. I get the appreciation for drive-throughs and those big-box stores with their convenient parking, huge carts and one-stop shopping. I get the need for "stuff," especially the unnecessary stuff that makes life with kids easier, more fun or just bearable. I get the unavoidable reality of messy houses, toy-strewn living rooms, "snot-nosed" kids and public temper tantrums. I get the desire to be close to family, even if it means trading city life for middle-of-America. I get the thrill of grocery shopping alone, staying out past 10 p.m. and sleeping in past 8:00 a.m. So in humble recognition of every pre-child eye-roll, "I'll never" and "How could they?" I realize now, I get it.