Little People

Life with a 3 year old is so draining. College wasn't this draining! Being married to Seth is ALMOST this draining but not quite. I can feed him and he's quiet for a minute or two. ;)

The rules of parenting just aren't fair! You figure out one stage and the next day they change it all up on you! You have your kid sleeping through the night and then they decide it's necessary to sprout teeth. They don't sleep and YOU don't sleep. You get the teeth thing under control and then they start to crawl. Is that really something that needs to happen? I think Jr. is adorable in his very stationary play pen or walker or swing or whatever they're in that DOES NOT MOVE. But no, they have to start crawling, which leads to pulling up (and pulling things DOWN) and then they start walking. Then your life is REALLY over. The bathroom used to be my sanctuary. Looong bubble baths where you hide from the world with only your nose and eyes exposed so you can breath and read a book. Now I dash in, lock the door and listen to the screaming from the other side. As I hurry as fast as I can I watch as they poke things under the door. It took them a while but they've finally realized that their heads won't fit so hands, arms, toys, my favorite dishes, all get shoved under the door. To get off course a bit, I saw a quote once that I often think of. The world never beats a path to your door....unless you're in the bathroom.

Back to the unfair rules of parenting; now you have a walking child and everything in the world suddenly seems very large and dangerous because you know it can crush your baby. Just as you get the hang of that they start talking! At first it's so cute. Every new word is a treasure. When Donnie was 2 I baby sat a 3 year old little girl. That child never stopped talking from the second she walked in until the second she walked out. I told my mother in law how it was driving me insane and she laughed. She said "It's the stage she's in. You grow into the stages with your kids." I found that she was right, for the most part. However, Donnie is now in that talking stage. I think I'm gonna need some growth hormones for this stage. I promise you, sometimes I think my ears are bleeding. I've never hated the word "why" so much. I don't KNOW why! To add to his chatter box stage he's now developed a whiney but sassy mouth. I really shouldn't be surprised. I am his mother after all so he comes by most of the talking and sass honestly.



This week he asked for something. When I told him "no" he said "You are mean, and cranky, and grouchy!" I didn't know he KNEW any of those words and I really wanted to laugh. "Honey, just because Mommy says no doesn't make her all those things. That wasn't very nice."
Donnie says, "Well, you SHOULD say yes."

Mothering is a full time job. It's constant "Don't touch that!
Do you need to eat? Pizza is not breakfast food. Why are doughnuts breakfast food, umm, ask your dad.
Aw, you need a diaper change. Oh, you need ANOTHER diaper change.

Sticks don't go into your eyes. No, not your ears either.
I don't why your poo is brown. Is mine brown? Hmm..can't say I've check lately.
Sure I'll read you a book...THAT one again?
Why are you all wet?? Mud puddle in the yard huh, how did I miss that?
Don't poke your brother. Don't bite your brother. Don't lick your brother. Head butting is a no-no. Don't dump water on your brother. Don't pull your brother's hair.
No screeching in the house. No screeching outside! Birds are dropping from the sky!

By the end of the day I sit down on a mountain of laundry and see tiny, sticky foot prints all along my half mopped floor and I wonder what in the world did I get done today?? Then my 1 year old wraps his chubby arms around my neck and gives me the most disgusting but sweet kiss I've ever had, and my 3 year old pounces in my lap and I see how happy they are, and my life is complete.

Donnie's night time prayers are the icing on the cake. About 3 weeks ago I told Donnie that he can talk to Jesus about EVERYthing. God wants to hear all about his day. Donnie has taken me up on it, and I LOVE to hear what comes out of his mouth. Tonight he prayed "Dear Jesus, please help me to be good, and to get new tires on my bike, and for me to help GiGi and to play with Uncle Philip's phone and Jenn Jenn's phone and Momma's phone. Maybe I get a phone too? (Never. LOL) Be wif Daddy and Papa and I love you, amen."


Today when I was in the middle of all of the craziness of Motherhood I comforted myself with the thought "You know, every other Mother out there knows what I'm feeling." And then, that thought scared me because if every other Mother out there is feeling like this there are some crazy nut jobs, just like me! So my doors are locked tight and my windows are barred and I'm sitting here eating chocolate...and I know I'm okay. I took my prozac.