August 5, 2015

Remember When...

Remember when you were young and you were obsessed with babies? You would sit on your best friends living room floor with the JCPenney catalog opened to the baby section. You would pick out your baby from the adorable baby models and then go through all the gear and pick out their crib, stroller, high chair, bedding, car seat, and more. You were a baby hog. Whenever your mom's friends would have babies you wanted nothing more than to hold them and play with them. You played "house" longer than any of your friends and probably longer than most.

Remember when you first got married, like on your honeymoon, and all you could think about was getting pregnant?  You were devastated when you came home from Mexico to see a - sign on that pee stick.  You cried when your husband said, "let's wait a year" as if he were telling you he never wanted to have kids EVER.  Little did you know that the following month would be it and you'd "finally" see that + sign.

Remember when you were a brand new mom with that squishy newborn?  Remember three months later when you had to go back to work while "all" your other blog friends who just had babies were getting the privilege to quit their jobs and become stay-at-home-moms?  You were so insanely jealous to the point where you were almost mad at them because you couldn't do the same.

Then remember when your job told you they were moving locations and you had the choice to either come with them or resign?  You called your husband crying because you didn't want to move but you also knew you couldn't stay home.  Your husband, as always, was your voice of reason and assured you it would be OK and that you could and should resign.  You were so scared but even more you were so happy.  Your dreams of being a SAHM were going to finally come true even if for just a few months.

Now three years have gone by since your stay-at-home-mom career started and while you've had a lot of fun days you've also had a lot of really trying ones.  Many times the hard days overshadow the good days and you find yourself crying, sitting in the parking lot of the pool.  You'll send your husband, your voice of reason, a text that reads something like, "I can't do this stay-at-home thing anymore.  I think I need to get a job again."

The terrible twos are back and while you thought they were hard the first time around, this second time is out to prove you wrong.  Wow.  Who knew an almost two-year-old could be so opinionated and literally make you feel like you've never parented before?  They make you question your sanity, your decision making, your life choices and ability to parent.  They make a night in a padded cell sound like a vacation.

Speaking of vacations, a "vacation" with kids is anything but.  You need to remember that as well.  You will not relax, you will not feel refreshed.  You will want a real vacation when you get back and actually look forward to going home because at least your house is kid-proof.

Many days you will feel like you are treading water with your nose barely above.  No one warns you of this and even if they did you would still have babies.  Because the truth is when the bad days seem to outweigh the good you will remember those days when you wanted this.  You wanted all of this, every messy, crazy, busy part of it.  Because not everyone gets this opportunity.  Many days you won't show it and your words won't speak it but you are thankful.  You will get through this stage and just like everyone tells you, "little kids, little problems- big kids, big problems".  While that statement annoys you more than anything you know that they are right and this too shall pass.

Hang in there moms, you're doing a great job.  

2 comments:

  1. Two days in a row... I almost fell out of my chair. I love reading your blogs, so honest and almost needed. My terrible two has formed his own opinion, learned how to escape the house (we warned the uncles so if they are out with their tractors to watch for him if I am not fast enough), he beats up on his bigger brother and I can't get him to stop, he the just devious. Most days I want to pull my hair out but others he is just too funny and I forget about it. I tell Tim every day that although being a SAHM is my dream job I just don't really know if I can do it because #2 is a handful.

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  2. Loved this Shannon, LOVE ItπŸ’—πŸ‘πŸ»

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