I saw this image on my phone when I woke up the other morning.

Right now, I feel like I’m in the center of everything. These are the younger trenches. However, that night, my husband was the one who had to wake up with the baby. He snapped this photo of my daughter and me after we changed, nursed, and laid down the baby.

Normally, I don’t share self-portraits that I haven’t “posed” for. And I generally become furious with the person who took it. However, this time is different. This photograph was unique.

Because the last several weeks have been quite tough. One may easily forget how demanding a newborn is. How fatigued you get physically, mentally, and emotionally. When you add two more children to the mix, you are already fatigued. Every single time.

I change diapers, hug infants, wipe tears, clean spills, do laundry, wash dishes, and take many snack breaks during the day.

I do not normally wash my hair. Due to a lack of sleep, my eyes are swollen and have bags beneath them. Almost definitely, food or spit has stained my clothes. My hair is always tied back into a mom bun. My makeup is completely gone.

And this image represents everything. Despite its lack of glamour, parenting is one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

I would like to reflect on this period in my life. I wanted this image to serve as a reminder because it’s easy to forget that you’ll miss something while you’re in the middle of things.

I won’t mind the hectic evenings as much as holding and snuggling my infants to sleep. I can feel their little chests breathing in and out as their tiny fingers wrap around my own.

The ability to calm my children down with only a hug and a kiss on the forehead will bother me more than the weeping outbursts.

I’ll miss cleaning up their messes with soap and water even more than I’ll miss cleaning up milk spills.

Sharing a bed with my children will cause no discomfort in my neck or back, and I will not miss it. However, I will not miss waking up in the morning to see their faces next to mine. We’ll miss our morning embraces.

I would like to reflect on this period in my life.

I don’t want to forget this phase of parenting, no matter how difficult and stressful it might be.

Make sure to remind your spouse or another close someone. Remind them that they should take these images of you.

“Be happy with these photos.”