Moofies

There are two movies any prospective parent should study: Look Who's Talking and Parenthood.
Yes, yes, I know I'm probably the only person in the world who counts the movie with the talking babies as hilariously funny and wheels out quotes like "a selfish phase".
But I can't tell you how many times that movie rang true for me during my pregnancy and in the early stages of babydom. In particular, Kirstie Alley's shock to find her enormous milk-filled breasts made her look like a chick from a Russ Meyer movie. I definitely looked like Pamela Anderson when my milk "came in".
Parenthood is one of my favourite movies ever. There are so many funny moments - Steve Martin's Cowboy Gil ("As in guil-ty"), Rick Moranis' obsessive attempts to turn his daughter into a child genius, Tom Hulce announcing his son's name...Cool.
But there are some golden moments of wisdom littered throughout the comedy.
The one most people know is Keanu Reeves saying that you need a license to catch a fish, but "they'll let any butt-weaming asshole be a father". It's so true.
But there's two I love in particular.
Family patriach Jason Robards has to decide whether to pay off bookies or let them kill his deadbeat son. Of course, there's no decision to be made. "He's still my son...do you think I want him to get hurt?", he says. It doesn't matter if your kid is 6 months or 26 years old, the worrying and caring never, ever ends. It might sound obvious, but the realisation that you are responsible for someone for life is enormous.
The other bit I love is when the granny announces that she used to love riding the rollercoaster as a young woman. "Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. But that just goes around, nothing. I like the rollercoaster".
Later at a chaotic school concert, Steve Martin gets what she means and realises that having kids is a rollercoaster - it makes you sick, frightened, but so very thrilled.
I'm not saying that going through life without kids means life isn't fun. Mmmmm....sleeping in on weekends, or up at 6am for feeds? I know which one is more fun!
But having children is experiencing everything life throws at you in the fullest sense. There is heartbreak and sorrow, guilt and anger, frustration and sadness. But there's also joy, laughter and that heart-aching love that only a parent can feel.