The Stay-At-Home Mom

Here I am with a 2-year-old and 9 week old twins, and I am wondering where the time has gone.  Thinking back on how our lives have changed over the last year, I realized that having my first child was great.  Nonetheless, it was like the honeymoon of motherhood.  That is to say that motherhood is really a completely different experience once you have more than one child.

Some of the things I don't get to do anymore . . .

1. Nap when the babies nap.  However, there is the rare occasion when they ALL sleep, and I thank God for those moments.
2. Eat breakfast before 10 a.m.  There are days when I am up between 4 and 6 a.m., and I just go ahead and eat simply because I know I might not have the opportunity again until noon.
3. Go out anywhere with just me and the kids.  How exactly do you carry 2 infants and still supervise your 2-year-old in any type of store?  Yeah, that's what I'm still trying to figure out.
4. Stay out anywhere past 10 p.m., and THAT's pushing it.  James and I have done that once to celebrate his birthday, but I don't think my mom is going to fall for that one again anytime soon.
5. Drive a car smaller than a mini-van.
6. Feel caught up on my chores.
7. Change less than 10 diapers a day.  It's time to potty train JJ.

I could go on, but I won't because I take far more joy in the whole new set of things that I DO get to do now.

1. I get to sleep with my kids.  There is nothing more peaceful in life than sleeping with your children.
2. I get to help shape three little lives.
3. See how much JJ loves "my babies", as he calls them.  I love to hear JJ walk out of his bedroom to come wake me up and ask to see his babies every morning.
4. Gain a renewed sense of appreciation for all parents.  No matter what your approach may be, it's not easy, but it's extremely rewarding.
5. I have 3 great excuses for not getting everything done.  I hate to have a huge list of to-do's, but I would hate far more to look back and wish I had spent more time with my kids.
6. Learn something new from or about my children every day.  Each day there is something new with children, as anyone who is a parent will tell you.
7. I get to be "Mom".  There's something really comforting about feeling needed.

I suppose what I am getting at is that life is harder now in many ways, but I would not trade it for simpler days.  Simplicity has it merits, but when it comes to family life, I prefer it be complicated and crazy, but full.