"The things I never thought I'd do when I became a parent."

While holding a positive pregnancy test in one hand and hugging the toilet bowl in the other, not only did I realise that my life was about to change I knew that this change was about to hit me like a roller coaster.

Along with the congratulations and well wishes upon our pregnancy news all those years ago, came the onslaught of advice and warnings foretelling the days that we were about to experience.

There were woeful tales of sleepless nights, horror nappy stories and some very firm advice to enjoy life – while we still can. Goodness if I didn’t want this baby so much, I would have been shaking in my boots.

Nine months later not only did our son arrive into our lives, our lives completely changed from the moment we set eyes on him.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by AAMI Life Insurance. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

Yes some of the horror stories were true. Sleep became as foreign as a movie on SBS and no one in their right mind enjoys changing nappies. But something else happened, something no one stopped to warn us of or even tell us about. We fell completely head over heels in love with him. From those very early moments there was nothing we wouldn’t do for him.

Fast forward seven years and it seems not only is there nothing we wouldn’t do for him, there always seems to be something we are doing for him.

If I thought I was way outside my comfort zone when I was holding that positive pregnancy test in my hand, you can only imagine how far outside my comfort zone I was staring at a roller coaster, about to hop on. Absolutely petrified of roller coasters my whole life, yet here I was ready to get on board because my little boy couldn’t go on alone and there was no way I was disappointing him. He loved it, I felt sick for the rest of the day.

Or the hours long into the night I have spent learning the intricacies of Minecraft, one YouTube video after another, one forum after another, trying to figure it all out. So that in the morning when my son wakes up we can play together and I can be the ‘best Mum ever’ for knowing how to kill the creeper and make more diamond armour.

The sleepless nights are very quickly forgotten and parenting becomes not about survival, but enjoying your kids and building a relationship with them that not only means the world to you, but means the world to them.

We were a very odd foursome last year at the One Direction concert, hubby, me and our two boys.

Hubby had ear plugs in the whole time and I kept a tight hold on both the boys. My head pounded for hours afterwards from all the girls screaming. But my son loved it – every single minute and the smile on his face for days afterwards, well I wouldn’t trade that for the world, let alone the awkwardness of being at a 1D concert.

I know I am not alone. My social media feed is full of our friends doing things for their kids that once upon a time we would never have dreamed of. Parenting comes with many expectations, yet the most important thing it should come with is to love our children unconditionally.

Sure, lack of sleep, roller coasters, Minecraft, even a 1D concert can be part of it, but they just add to the crazy that makes up parenting.

Seeing the smiles on their faces and knowing that this is one more moment they will treasure – There are so many things you do for your children and they are all worth it.

What crazy things have you done for your kids lately?

What you have done for your kids in the name of love?

AAMI Life Insurance is offering Mamamia readers the opportunity to win 1 of 6 Coles/Myer Gift Cards loaded with up to $500 to spend.

All you need to do is share your moment with us. 

Interested? Click right this way!

We know there’s nothing you wouldn’t do for your family, but it’s easy to forget there’s something you should do. And that is to help protect your family’s future with life insurance.

AAMI Life insurance is a simple and hassle free way to help financially secure your family’s future from the ‘what ifs’ that life can throw at us.

So don’t put off what’s important… get a quick quote online today.

Or to find out more about AAMI Life Insurance and the insurance options available to you and your family, please call us on 13 22 44.

View the latest AAMI Life Insurance commercial here.

AAMI Life Insurance is issued by Suncorp Life & Superannuation Limited ABN 87 073 979 530, AFSL 229 880 (SLSL) under the brand AAMI, and is distributed by Suncorp Financial Services Limited ABN 50 010 844 621, AFSL 229 885. AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as AAMI does not provide any financial product advice in relation to this product. Any advice is general advice only and doesn’t take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the PDS at www.aami.com.au/policydocuments.