Thursday, August 22, 2013

Sweetest things

The saying goes that with age comes wisdom. 
I feel like sometimes parenting is measured in increments of time as well.
First child.
Second child.
And if you are ambitious and not a quitter like myself...
Third child.
And finally fourth child.

I remember glimpses or flashes from my mothering as a first time parent.  
I couldn't wait for my oldest to roll over, crawl, sit up, talk, learn geometry, blah, blah, blah.  
I measured my success as her mother by the speed at which she reached her milestones.  
And I pushed her to meet them.

Now here I sit, a decade later with 4 kids and a bit more experience under my parental belt and let me tell you the game is real different on this side of the stadium.

I always compare first time parenting to puberty or junior high school--it was a good enough time going through it but you never want to do it again.
(If you don't feel like that...then well, you are awesome and I am whack.  😁)

I am better at being someone's mom the second, third and fourth time around I think.  I pushed and prodded and agonized over everything my oldest did.  Just to make sure she was tracking like all the "other" kiddos her age who's parents I knew.  
Or read about in all those parenting books.
I pushed so much I think that sometimes I didn't get to truly cherish the joy that CAME from those experiences.  

Now I am able to be a little more chill, I appreciate the teeny baby smiles and smells and toddling chunky legs.  The giggles and baby snuggles, letting me kiss their head just cuz I wanna.  I am no longer in a rush for the babies to roll over, crawl, talk, read, join a sports team, blah blah--those days will come.
All too soon, they will come.  

So now when you see me at the park or grocery store or gym or Target and my kids are losing their ever loving minds by crying, pooping, nursing, whining or chatting their face off-  it's ok, I'm ok.
I'm soaking up the experience that is my little people army.

And to all the first time parents out there-enjoy the ride.  And know I will welcome you with open arms to the "2nd time around" rodeo when the time comes.
It's nice here.
We are pretty mellow.  
We have coffee at Starbucks with other seasoned moms and let our kids act cray sometimes just cuz they wanna.  
It's strangely liberating.
Life is good. 

Biiiiii.



Saturday, August 17, 2013

Heeeyyyyy

So-I've been MIA.
Things happened.  Life happened.  No excuses--just life.
Had a teeny baby 6 weeks early.  She had an extended stay in the hospital.
It was a nightmare.  I was stressed.  but she is better now and home.  
And so dang cute.
Like REALLY cute and petite and beautiful like a baby girl should be.
Her hair is light.  (Well light for my bloodline...)
She is my favorite littlest person.

My better half came home.  It was so epic and awesome and romantic and everything I ever thought it would be.  
Life is a new kind of normal around here.  There is a lot of life being lived in my crib.
It's loud.
And kinda cray.
But it's ours.

The oldest kid loves her littlest brother, she caves to his whims and comforts him all the time.  He cries for her most often because she indulges his moods and sad faces.  
The oldest son dotes on the tiny baby.  He's gentle in a way that you don't see often from him--it melts my heart.  

Lets see...what else...
Potty trained the baby dude, went on mini vacay, started school, boarded the Paleo train (again, sigh.), swim team, and now fall sports for the older two kids.  It's been a crazy 6 months since I've last blogged but I pinky promise that I will do this more frequently.
I miss it.  
I miss ya'll!