How Carrie Underwood Balances Work and Motherhood

Motherhood looks great on Carrie Underwood.

But before she delivered now-2-year-old son Isaiah Michael in 2015, she and husband Mike Fisher were unsure of how their busy always-on-the-road work lives were going to balance out with the much-needed family time that’s essential in raising a child.

“Our whole life has changed,” the singer told PEOPLE Now during a trip to Catalina Island, California, where she boarded a Carnival Cruise Ship to perform for military families as part of her ongoing partnership with Operation Homefront.

“I remember when we first found out we were gonna have him it [was] like, ‘How are we gonna do this? Our lives are so crazy as it is,’ ” adds Underwood, 34.

“But you just make room and you learn how important that family time is, and to be able to spend time and carve out some of that and maybe get to go on vacation and maybe get to go on a cruise — that stuff is so important to, like I said, make time for family,” she continues. “That’s what it’s all about.”

And having worked with Operation Homefront for quite some time now, Underwood understands “in a small way” what it’s like for these military men and women to spend time away from their children for long stretches.

“I know in a small way what it’s like to just be away from your child because you’re working, and it’s a completely different kind of work,” she says. “They’re laying their lives on the line and they’re away for long periods of time.”

“I definitely feel like because I do have a child now I can relate a little more in just thinking ‘I don’t know how I do it,’ and my heart goes out to them,” “The Fighter” singer continues. “I’m even more appreciative for the service that they’ve provided our country because I know what it’s like to be a parent and miss your child just a little bit.”

When Underwood does find herself at home with some time to decompress, though, Isaiah is attached to her hip — even when she’s breaking a sweat!

“He has a short attention span, but he’s a pretty good workout buddy,” she says about Isaiah hitting the gym with her. “He just wants to be a part of it, and he just wants to be around you and just do what you’re doing.”

As for the workout Isaiah has already impressively mastered at age 2?

“He does squats often — if you ask him to do a squat he knows what that is and he can do it,” she says with a laugh. “He loves getting the little weights and acting like Mommy and Daddy. He’s just a lot of fun to have around.”

Underwood and Fisher, 36 — who is captain of the NHL’s Nashville Predators — may be content with one at the moment, but having more children is “God’s” choice.

“You know, we’re on God’s good timing and, like I said, our lives are pretty crazy,” Underwood reveals.

“The Predators just entered the playoffs and I’m winding down just a little bit, but also gearing up in writing new music and stuff like that — trying to figure out what kind of music I wanna make next — so that family time becomes more and more important all the time.”