Being a New Mom in College

On Friday, August 9, at approximately 3:30 p.m., I became a mother to a 3.5-pound 8-week-old named Noodle.

Yes, I am talking about a dog.  What did you think?

Noodle is my new schnoodle (schnauzer-poodle) daughter, and I love her. That being said, I also at times hate her. At this particular moment, she is trying to eat my passport.

Having Noodle has given me a great deal of respect for mothers everywhere, but especially single ones. I live alone, so it’s just me and a living thing that cannot speak and doesn’t know that it’s bad to pee in the house/poop on my bed. She cries when I’m in the shower. She cries when she sleeps. She cries when she’s bored. And I am the only one here to entertain her.

Also, Noodle’s bladder is the approximate size of a coin purse, meaning she needs to go outside every 3-4 hours at most. Not too bad, right?

Here’s the thing, though: her bladder doesn’t magically expand at night.

This means that I have not had an uninterrupted night of sleep in almost a month. Last night was the first night I got up to eight hours total.  Lack of sleep = poor focus, poor memory, and lack of ability to take anyone’s nonsense.

Oh, did I mention that Noodle’s also had roundworm eggs and intestinal parasites?

It’s been a great start to the semester.

Regardless of the sleep I’ve lost, the number of times my washing machine and comforter have met, and the money I’ve spent on vet bills, crates, food, and toys, I absolutely love Noodle. She is the best friend I have ever purchased (the only friend I have ever purchased?), and there is nothing better than her little body sleeping in my arms.

So mothers everywhere, you are superheroes. Damn anyone who says differently.