What I Wish I Knew

Someone asked me the other day if there was anything I wish I knew before I had Caden. After telling her that I could write a book on that subject...and if you compiled all my blog posts, I already have. But, I narrowed it down to a few things.

THE CLEANING:::. Dear God, the cleaning!! I had NO idea how much time and energy I would spend cleaning up after just one child. And we’re not just talking about when I changed diapers and the ongoing picking up of toys. Oh, no. The day might bring a spilled bottle of maple syrup or a blender explosion in the kitchen, a sippy-cup malfunction in the family room, a picture knocked off the wall with broken glass everywhere, and ant-infestation on the front porch due to a melted Popsicle, and a bathtub tsunami. Not to mention the laundry. Spit-up stained sleepers have turned into food and grass-stained clothes, occasional peed-on sheets, and spit up filled bibs and diaper rags due to my little ones I watch.

It doesn't seem like that long ago when I lived in a 1-bedroom apartment and used the same plate and fork at each meal. I vacuumed and cleaned the bathroom maybe once every week or 2. (Did I even own a vacuum?) I did one load of laundry a week. And if I put something away, it stayed there. Wow....that was so nice.... *sigh*

Now, if I didn’t do the daily maintenance I usually do, walking in our house you would think we’d been robbed. Or, as a friend put it “My husband recently said our house is to the point where we should burn it, collect the insurance money, and start over!”


THE 24/7, 365 DAYS RESPONSIBILITY:: OK, so maybe intellectually we knew this was the deal. But did you really think through exactly what this meant? That you’d be restricted to drive-thrus, unless you want to lug the baby carrier or a sleeping child in a carseat in and out of the car just to grab your Starbucks or your drycleaning?

That unless you’re lucky enough to live near family you will have to pay someone to watch your child EVERY SINGLE TIME you want to go out with your spouse, go to a yoga class, repaint the bedroom, and possibly even just clean your house without someone wanting your EVERY second of attention?

That you don’t get sick days, holidays, vacation time, or personal days? Yes, even when you're on vacation, there is nothing relaxful about that when you have a little one!! hehehehe That you may never again sleep in on weekends? (At least till your kids are teenagers.) I’m telling you people, it takes some getting used to. :)


THE UNPARALLELED JOY::: . I’ve always loved kids. Always wanted one. And yet I still hadn’t the faintest clue what it was going to be like to have my own, brand-new person that was half me and half my husband. How I would feel when he reached for MY finger and would only be soothed by ME. How my heart would soar when he slept peacefully, ate well, burped, gained weight, had poopy diapers even! Every day he has brought me more joy and now I cannot remember what my purpose in life was before he came along. He is all I ever hoped for and more, and I cannot imagine a life without him in it. He brings me soooo much joy.

Moms love to trade horror stories and vent about the hard work and frustrations that go along with raising kids. It can be hard! So before you have them you might wonder, “Why put yourself through that?” and “Is it worth it?” The answer is yes. YES!! YESSSSSSS!!!!! A thousand, billion, trillion, bazillion times YES. Why?

A billion, trillion, bazillion different reasons. Because babies and kids have senses of humor. More than many adults I know. And because they unconditionally love you, with the sloppy kisses and sticky hugs to prove it. And because they’re so very entertaining. And because of moments when they walk in the room dressed like this..




If that's not enough to convince you, I don't know what is. But I don't really wish I knew all this before. Because you really have to experience it for yourself.

Can you really be 3 ????

My sweet growing boy,

Happy birthday my little man! (Even though I'm almost 2 months late..) This blogging thing has gotten tougher the older you get, but I am kinda fired up about writing more now so it should be better? We'll see. So now you are three and I just still can't seem to believe it. It seems like yesterday when we crammed all those people into the hospital room to witness your arrival...we had so many laughs, it was such a breeze, and then....YOU. The most amazing day of my life...(even with nurse crazy eye in the picture) LOL I will tell you that story someday...or perhaps your aunts will tell you....hehehehe

While last year was all about cars....which you still have a fondness for....this birthday has been a Spiderman extravaganza. We decorated with webs, spiders, spiderman cutouts, red and blue cupcakes with webs on them, and red and blue koolaid. You kiddos even sprayed silly string all over the yard like web slingers! You got a Spiderman bathing suit, Spiderman underwear, a Spiderman car, Spiderman kite, Spiderman fishing pole, and a bike with a Spiderman helmet! Talk about Spiderman overload!! You couldn't have been more thrilled!!

The thing is, you are not singly loyal to Spiderman. In fact, when I asked you what kind of birthday cake you wanted, you said you wanted a Little Mermaid cake....then you wanted a Princess cake...ehhh..Spiderman won out. :) Hehehehe :) You were happy though.

In fact, you’re pretty much always happy. You’ve been that way since birth. I like to think that you get that from me. Don’t get me wrong, you have your grumpy moments, just like your mommy,but generally, you’re a good-natured guy. And also, active. You LOVE to play with your friends, go to the park, have picnics, and build forts with the couch cushions. You NEVER slow down.....

This year you have learned so much, a big one being that you were potty trained at 2 1/2 years.....completely. Not even a pull-up at night! How awesome are you? You have a better bladder than your mommy! It's been so nice not having to deal with diapers....thank you for that!! Now we just need to work on you not pulling it out in random places to pee...like our garage, front porch and at the resort in Mexico right in front of lots of people. Hmmmm..... :) You are great at saying your please and thank-you's, you have learned many songs and can count to ten in English and Spanish....I could go on and on...you are just one smart cookie.

And it must be said that you are QUITE a talker. HOLY MOLY. AGAIN, something you get from me!!! Sometimes your mouth doesn’t stop moving all day, and I often wonder if it is paybacks for how much I talked my mommy's ear off! Don't get me wrong, I am THRILLED that you are talking and learning so much but MAN...do you EVER take a break??? Hahahaha You crack us up with the funny things you say.....Just the other day you walked into a brightly colored bathroom and YELLED "Holy COW! This is soooooo cool!" hehehe You’re always have me laughing....thank you for that my sweetness.

You have been more generous with your affections and I am absolutely loving it. Sometimes you just come up to me, fling your arms around me, kiss my cheek and say "I love you mommy." My heart melts to butter. I love you little boy more than you could ever know....thanks for your sweet little love. :)

I only have to look at your long, skinny legs and little-boy shoulders to see that you’re not a baby any more. There’s no more chub to grab, and you are so heavy now! I only feel a little sad about it though, because you’ve turned into a great little buddy. We can actually have whole conversations and it is so much fun! You make me smile every day, and you give the best hugs. I am totally cool hanging out with a 3 year old... :)

I love you, buddy. You’re the best 3-year-old I ever had.

Love, Mommy

Oh my aching body... :)

Well, today I am one year older....and BOY do I feel it this year more than any other year. I know WHY too.... :) This kid is kicking my booty, people. I’m not proud to admit that I’ve met my match in a person barely taller than a darn coffee table, but there you have it. Between his boundless energy, his love for super hero moves, and his love of RUNNING FAST...., this child is running me ragged! :) Thank GOD he’s a good sleeper or I may have hurled myself off a bridge by now. LOL

This morning I woke up with my lower back KILLING me...seems to be a normal thing lately....Happy Birthday to me!! I could not move for several minutes. Creaking and groaning, I finally hoisted myself out of bed. Common sense would say to take it easy, right? Not an option in my world. No way man....

If you’ve ever wondered how many times a mom bends down in the course of a day, the answer is 7 trillion. We bend down to pick up last night’s bath towel next to the tub, to put another load of laundry in the dryer, to wipe up congealed lumps of breakfast, lunch, and dinner off the floor, to untangle the dog’s leash from the stroller wheels, to search for lost pacifiers under the couches, to clean up 5000 cars off the driveway, to get down on the floor to play 1000 times during the day, and etc etc etc.....

That’s BESIDES all the times we bend down to pick UP kids -- off the dressing room floor at Target(been couple years, but still) out of the bulk candy bin at the supermarket, off of the dog, and out of the crib, stroller, car seat, and bathtub.
I’m actually shocked my back still works at all.

I need a massage...maybe I'll hit my hubby up for one tonight.... The goal is relaxation, but as knotted up as I am, it would require him to use excessive amounts of force and manipulation to unknot them. About as relaxing as a third-degree sunburn, people.

This parenthood stuff is grueling on the body, there’s no doubt. Wouldn't trade one minute for the world, but SHEESH!! LOL Let’s see, there’s the accidental face scratches, the not-accidental karate chops, the bruises from being hit by flying balls. (YOU try explaining to a toddler that it’s OK to throw a foam ball but not a golf ball.)

I guess my current back pain is my body’s way of saying, “HELLO?! Remember me??” And as I bend down to pick up crusted peanut butter and jelly sandwich that somehow got smooshed under the dishwasher area, cute little boy sandals, and the hundreds of army guys, I do remember it, over and over.

As grueling as these things are, they are the things that make my life the most complete...I love that I have a boy that is energetic and fun. I wouldn't trade it for the world....that's what I get for being to old when I had him right? Somehow my body will just have to get used to it, and hopefully I can stay in one piece long enough to hold my grandbabies right?? Ok, going to go do some more bending over.....