“A baby changes everything,” we’re told since conception (or even before). Yes, we know, we say, and go about our lives as normally as ever, thinking that it won’t change us that much. But after the baby comes, we realize how sagacious the comment our well-meaning loved one (or acquaintance) made was—even if just this once.

There’s no doubt about it: kids bring change to our lives. Sometimes the changes are so tiny that you can’t even put your finger on them until years later. Other times, they are so monumental that we barely even recognize ourselves anymore.

I want to know how having a baby—or multiple babies and/or children—has changed you as a person. Do you primarily identify yourself as a parent now, or do you feel you still have a separate identity from the role of caregiver? How many things do you still like or do post-baby that you liked or did pre-baby? How many things do you miss?

I’m definitely not saying that becoming a parent makes us less of people. On the contrary, it adds depth, fulfillment and joy to our lives. That said, there are still plenty of things moms and dads miss about their pre-baby days, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories about what those things might be for you.

I’ve only been a parent for nearly four years now, so I definitely don’t have the monopoly on experience. But I do know that I have changed quite a bit, and can cite many examples, such as:

• Sleeping: A once night owl whose motto was “Sleep when you die,” now I cherish my sleep-time as much as I can get it. I can’t believe that I used to go days without sleeping; nowadays, I’m lucky to get five or six hours a night and I am grateful for it when I do!
• Eating: A luxurious, lengthy activity now often consists of shoveling food into my gullet as quickly as I can.
• Entertainment: A former scary movie buff, I can’t stand the films now as they give me nightmares that can feature my little one. I also can’t sit still for long, drawn-out artistic movies that I once thought beautiful, having maybe half the attention span I used to (and the realization that  I could be doing a million chores instead…).

I can think of dozens of other examples as well. The good, the bad, and the ugly—how has parenting changed you as a person?