Mess

I just wanted the world to know that having three kids who are not babies is still a lot of work! It is easier as far as not being soooo physical and soooo emotional. I mean I don't think many people understand what the last four years of my life have been like. It has been like child barring on crack and the craziness that follows such child baring is like skipping all beginner courses and jumping right into 400 courses! You are doing triple the work with zero experience. Its the super accelerated version of motherhood and the growing pains and levels of self depreciation are humbling. But now with older kids my job as a mother has never been easier! I don't have to spoon feed them, I don't have as many diapers to change, I don't have to wake up in the night with a baby, I only have one nap schedule to work around, they don't all run at cars trying to get killed daily, they play with each other all day long, they read books with me, I only have one screaming toddler as I try to buckle him in his car seat instead of two, when they have tantrums I can actually talk them through it and help them rationalize better, they don't go and hide when we are at the store so I am crying as I search the store looking for them (aka Bridger is growing up!). Things are good.

BUT they are busy none stop kids living and eating and using up so much stuff!!! The amount of food we go through blows my mind, the amount of laundry I do each weeks is staggering (9 loads at least), the number of times I am sweeping and mopping up my floor kills me, and the scattering of toys that I have to pick up over and over again is stunning. As soon as Benjie graduated to a toddler my life got messier! The most common thoughts in my head these days are things like: Darn it, I just cleaned that. Didn't I just put that away. When did they get in my bathroom? Why are their tampons all over my kitchen? Why do my kids change their clothes four times a day? Why are there fishy crackers scattered across the lawn? Why do I bother to do her hair? Maybe I can get a shower in before Stew gets home today. I really am so happy but the maintenance of operating our house is a FULL time job!

The sliver lining is that they are good helpers. They really do help to clean their rooms and such. It just is such a test for me because if I take one day easy the ENTIRE house seems to fall apart. I have to be on my game every second of everyday or else I am making up for it for days. This parenting thing really demands the best of you no matter what phase of it you are in!

Oh, I better go. Angeli is screaming that Benjie just pooped in the bath. HA! Good thing I love motherhood so much.