When I told my friends I was pregnant at age 23, they stared at me in horror.

When I told my mom, she cried that she was too young to be a grandma.

When I told my husband, he blanched but recovered quickly, puffed up his chest and made general, obnoxious comments about his manliness.

When I told my grandmothers, they said it was about time!

We weren't planning this, but our prevention methods were lackluster at best. I must have forgotten the Pill more often than I actually took it. Thus, this result was unexpected but hardly unforeseeable. We worried that we "weren't ready" to be parents. We worried about our maturity, our financial security, the plans we had made, and yes, I worried about childbirth.

Sound familiar?

Years later, I look back and smile. In that time, we accomplished more than I thought possible. We studied in two different countries, finishing our respective bachelor degrees a little behind schedule but with good grades and great prospects. My husband is a Director at his current job, and baby #3 is ready for potty training. Our family is happy, healthy, and self-reliant.

The craziness of parenthood is all they say and more. We only frequent McDonald's and Applebee's restaurants (the latter for fine dining!), shop in bulk at Costco, our house is never more than 60% clean, and the washing machine runs nonstop.

On the other hand, the rewards of such an investment are immediate and often overwhelming. Little wet kissies, scrawly Valentines and Mother's Day cards, picnics packed by my oldest consisting mainly of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and drink pouches, and making someone's day just by walking into a room - so much better than dealing with an arrogant boss or whiny customers any day!

The most important thing I learned was this unattainable ideal of unconditional love. You can roar at your kids one minute and they forgive you in the next, as you instantly forget what made you so angry in the first place. The feeling that you are the most important, most needed person in the world is something you can't get from your partner.

I think the bottom line is, no one is truly ready for parenthood. If you wait until you are financially set and mature enough, you may not have the energy to keep up. If you have kids early, you will experience some growing pains. There is no one right way to do it.

If this adventure comes prematurely for you, there are a few basic things I've learned along the way:

~Connect with other young moms. Everyone needs a sympathetic ear and a convenient playmate for Junior.

~Connect with older moms. Their experience is worth its weight in gold and their teenage daughters are eager for babysitting gigs.

~Take 'Me' time, take date time. Your relationship with your husband/partner has enormous influence over your mood and ability to parent.

~Lower your workload expectations. Buy a few Stouffer's lasagnas and accept the fact that your laundry is 2 weeks behind schedule. I have a Closet of Shame where I stuff things I don't have time to deal with - boxes of photos to be sorted, items to donate to Goodwill, old paperwork to be shredded, and toys to be SuperGlued.

~Lower your personal expectations. Get a low maintenance haircut, focus on 2 or 3 makeup essentials, simplify your wardrobe (you can always glam up with a few accessories), and shave only when necessary. When you go out with the girls or your hubby, have your sitter come an hour early so you can pamper yourself properly.

~Lower your financial expectations. If you are struggling to pay for groceries and rent, now is not the time for retirement planning. I may get some flack for this, but immediate needs outweigh those 40 years in the future. Curb your spending on frivolous items and stick to a budget, but also allow for the occasional *reasonable* splurge.

Have you lived this? What got you through those days? Share your stories and tips in the comments!