"You just wait, life will never be the same."

We all hear about it, but I don't think you understand truly until you experience it. Since giving birth to my son almost 9 months ago, I have learned more about myself, my marriage and life in general than I ever thought possible. Becoming a mom has changed me in every sense of the word. I know that is frowned upon by some, and others would say that I have "lost myself" but, I don't find that to be true. I have become a better (most days), more exhausted version of myself.

I have learned lesson after lesson, many lessons that my mom could look at me and say "I told you so." Being a mom has taught me so many things, but the most important of these lessons is: "It Can Wait."

What can wait? You may ask. The answer is simple, everything. Everything but that sweet little one (and my husband) that I am doing all of the "other things" for. You see, before I was mama, I could be everything to everyone at the same time, all the time. In a sense, I still can do that and I can do it even better, but I've learned that some things can wait ... and they need to wait.

Before I was mama, I couldn't go to sleep if there were dishes in the sink or laundry to be done. I was impatient (I still am, to a point). I was on time to everything (I think the Lord laughed at me when I said that wouldn't change after having a baby). There's a lesson that motherhood has taught me lately. You can't do everything all the time.

More often than not, those million "little things" around the house and in our social life, that tend to amount to a lot of stress can wait. The toilet doesn't need to be scrubbed everyday. Most of the time, the dishes can wait until the morning. We won't be naked if the laundry doesn't get done that evening. The car may stay dirty for a few weeks (or months). We don't have to be at every family function or travel for every holiday. Sometimes, gasp, I need to say "no" or "it can wait."

I need a break, sometimes. I need to sit in the floor and play with little man. Sometimes, my husband needs me to drop what I'm doing when he walks in the door and listen to him talk about his day. Sometimes, I need a vacation. There are days that ordering pizza is just easier than making dinner. And guess, what? It's OK. Some things can wait.

The days are long but the years are short, before I know it our little one will be out and gone, and I will have plenty of time to say "it can't wait."

Editor's note: This article was originally published on Allison Lancaster's website. It has been republished here with permission.