Sometimes I get frustrated with my kids and with my role as a stay-at-home mom.
The days can become repetitive. They can be long. They can even be lonely.
Messes are continually made. Fighting among siblings is a regular occurrence. And maybe sometimes I don’t feel like answering 527 questions in a two minute time span.
And if one more person tells me that “The years go fast, cherish them!” right after I have pulled out sixteen of my own hairs, one by one, after stepping on a Lego and wiping up spilled milk, I might slap them.
Until one day when I was building a pillow fort with Gwyn and I just stopped and watched her as a thought sunk in.
My kids are four and two. Thus, I have been a mother with kids in the house for four years.
I am a genius, I know.
But, it dawned on me that I ONLY have fourteen more years of having such a privilege. Fourteen more years of helping with projects, playing games outside and building forts.
Fourteen years of teaching them to be polite, genuine, respectable human beings.
Only fourteen more years of waking up to scary hot breath hovering over me in the middle of the night.
Fourteen years to tend to scraped knees, kiss stubbed toes and rub bonked heads.
I’ve got fourteen more years of painting fingernails. To be the one gifted artwork from school. To be the “scary monster” chasing screams of delight.
And that’s it.
Our first-born will be out of the house and on her own.
Out to make her own decisions and her own mistakes.
And I won’t always be there anymore to help guide or to push in the right direction.
I won’t always be there to mend a broken heart. To read a story to. To provide for.
So, looking at it from another perspective helps me on the days where I want to quit. The days where I am worn out and tired. And truly, it’s another way of saying “cherish these years, they go by fast!” and I totally understand if you want to slap me.
But, just sit on that a minute.
As always, thanks for stopping by!
I’ve following your blog for a little while. Totally needed to read this today.
I can relate… I have a 3.5 year old daughter, 1 year old son, and due with our 3rd child in January. My husband has two jobs so most days is just me and the kids. It’s hard and lonely in the mist of all the noise and chaos. Wouldn’t change it for anything but somedays are harder than others and this week was particularly hard so, this is a good reminder to cherish it!!! Thanks!!!
Hi Kary,
I totally know how you feel! And I know there are plenty of other moms out there who are in the exact same boat. I am glad this was able to sit well with you! Best of luck to you on the third baby! If you remember, keep me posted how it goes! We are contemplating the third!
It won’t even be 14 years! I have ONE year left, he is a young man at 17 who travels overseas by himself, drives a car and most days is gone 8-12hr school/work day. It was a tap on the shoulder, next month he will be 18 and I know this last HS year will go faster than any other school year. Just like you I did pull my hair out at times (especially when they were 1-3yr), but every year it got easier, kindergarten was a big stepping stone, you will get some of the freedom back:-)
I can’t even imagine having one year left already! I hope this year is an incredible one for you both!!
This is Pia btw, forgot to sign in:-)
Could you tell me again the source you use to make books with your children’s artwork, please.