Saturday, February 9, 2013

The Scent of Life

Well, another day has come and gone. Another crazy, drama-filled, is-it-bedtime-yet kind of day. When I was a working mom (which seems like eons ago even though it's only been 2 years) I used to look at my stay-at-home friends and think Man...they have it so easy! If I was able to stay at home with my kids, I would have the house spotless, dinner cooked every night before my husband got home, and would be one of those gorgeous "Real Housewives" type of moms. Well, let me tell you...reality hit me like the stink of a week old baby bottle I found hidden in the toy box.
 
Back then I didn't think that I would be spending 2+ hours scouring my house for 12 missing marker caps. (which ended up being dispersed throughout every dresser drawer we own. I'm still racking my brain trying to figure out how and when they even got there!) I didn't see myself having Evil Knievel for a daughter and literally having to catch her in mid air leaping off of anything and everything every single time I turn my back. I didn't think I would be spending 5-10 minutes each day chasing my naked children around the house trying to lure them into the bathtub, or wiping runny, drippy, snotty noses every 30 seconds...on all 3 kids. At the exact same time. (I'm still completely amazed by how much snot can come out of those little teeny tiny things in the first place!) I definitely didn't think about how time consuming potty training is. And I can't remember the last time I put make-up on, or wore clothes that didn't have some kind of "kid-print" on it.
 
My day is completely consumed with taking care of my children, giving them the attention that they need and deserve, and trying to soak up all of these crazy moments that are already slipping by faster than I ever imagined possible. Any free time during the day that I have is filled with school work, and picking up toys only to have new ones taken out almost simultaneously. Doing dishes, cleaning the house, and having a 5 course meal prepared for the minute my husband walks through the door are the last things on my list. 
 
There are days when I want to pull my hair out, but they are far and few compared to the days filled with laughter, sloppy kisses, those sweet little high pitched voices saying "I love you Mommy", and watching them learn new things and grow right before my very own eyes. I really try to sit back and take everything in. To enjoy and cherish life as it's happening. Take tonight for example. Dinner time? Nuts. Completely insane. Both of my girls do everything together, and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Instead of eating, they were putting their forks in their mouths and playing them like clarinets. They put green beans all over their trays, and cut each one into 101 pieces...and then threw them on the floor. Morgan even had a nice little wind-up and chucked her fork at Maddie just barely skimming her face.
 
Every time we told them to do something, or to stop doing something, they completely ignored us, and continued screeching and squealing to get giggles out of their baby brother Dex. I was pretty upset after not getting any kind of acknowledgement from either one of them, but I have to admit that it melted my heart seeing the pure excitement they got each time he let out a deep belly laugh. As cute as it was, I still had to discipline them for not listening. Morgan straightened up right away, but Maddie was in one of those moods tonight, and ended up playing her fork clarinet right into her top bunk for an early bedtime sans a story. Just another day for the books. I'm hoping to get a full night's sleep tonight, because it's pretty safe to assume that tomorrow will be yet another day filled with love, laughter, and plenty of shenanigans.

2 comments:

Aschmitz said...

Oh, Brittany! Love this! The marker incident! Ha! This has happened to me! Oh and I was that same mom when I was working too. Until this past July when I became a stay-at-home mommy! I thought exactly the same in that if I were a stay-at-home mommy I'd have it made and then some! I also thought my stress level would go down. Ha! Now, my life is the exact same way! Cleaning, showering, laundry & dinner is the last thing on my mind! Too funny! Wouldn't have it any other way. They already have grown too fast.

Aschmitz said...
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