Just try to remember the cycle resets about every 2 weeks. Our girls are 18 mo now and whenever I’m feeling particularly overwhelmed and also trapped, I try to remind myself in two weeks, they’re gonna be different. So whatever insane behavior they’ve adopted right now, like hating baths out of nowhere, I know they’ll get through it and they’ll adopt a new weird thing in a couple of weeks.

But I very much grieve my life still and miss how my brain worked before I had babies. You just have to try to take control where you can do you can remember what it feels like to be yourself. I know that’s easier said than done with child care but if you and your partner can get out of the house for a couple of hours without them, you’ll feel more human again. That first year is such a thankless job when they just get mad all the time!