Easier?

The great philosopher- that would be my four and three quarter year old (if you try to say she is four and a half, she will quickly correct you!)- has spoken again. Yesterday as we were coming in from a walk, Caroline asked me, "Was it easier for you before you had kids?" Thank goodness, she was in the stroller so I had a minute to change my expression and wipe the tears from the corner of my eyes. How do explain this one- easier yes, would I go back, no. She is so persistent that try as I might, I couldn't fully explain it. I tried to talk about being able to run into a store really quickly without having to take little people out of car seats. She didn't look satisfied. I tried to talk about the sleep thing but she hears so many complaints about this one that it fell on deaf ears. "But was it easier?" she kept asking. Easier and harder. Easier in the little ways- harder in the big ways. I kept talking in circles, getting no where. For some reason, she dropped it- I think she started to feel bad for me but I can't drop it... perhaps this is really the thing we as parents, need to figure out- the thing we really need to wrap our arms around. This motherhood thing- it is both the easiest and the hardest thing I have ever done- maybe someday, I will be able to explain why.