The Playground

Have you ever really watched a child as he explores something new? Hes so curious and very interested and it's about the cutest thing in the world. It doesn't take much to make him happy...infact, it just about makes his day.
I took Brody to a new playground today...once he got out of the van, he took off running (well, the little todder run away.) He was laughing and smiling and when he noticed something new, he hurried over to try it out. He could of spent the whole day there, he wouldn't of needed anything else. For a mother, this is about the best feeling in the world, to see your child happy. I wish everyone were that easy to please.

Mothers Vs. Nonmothers

The other day we were at my mom's house (my sister lives there) and Dawson had to go potty really bad. He ran upstairs to the bathroom and started to go. My sister was in the shower (with a see thru curtain) and yelled at him. "Dawson, go downstairs right now!" Later I found out that she asked my mom if I teach him to knock before entering. Yeah, this bothered me a little bit, but I have to remember that mothers and nonmothers have very different experiences. Anyone who is a mother, this would have been completley normal (if your not a mother, just ask anyone who is.) Mothers learn to lock the doors if they don't want kids comming it. And it doesn't matter if you teach your child to knock or not, if they have to go to the bathroom that is all they are thinking about.
This hasn't been the only time when her "nonmotherness" has shown. I remember her saying "When I have kids, they won't behave like that." I had to smile and keep it to myself. Anyone who is a mother will learn, that it's not always something that you can control. And when she joined us for a preschool party, on the way home she said "I don't know how you do it" And I thought, "what is it that I'm doing?" (Loading 3 kids up and taking them home.) That was nothing compared to about a millions other things I've had to do (sometimes all at once.)
I guess 6 year ago I was thinking like she is. But when you become a mother you learn a lot of things really quickly. Anyone who is not a mother will never truly understand until they become one. Even fathers don't understand what exactly mothers go through. But motherhood is about the greatest joy any woman could ever experience. I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the world!!

The Challenges of Being a Wife and Mom

I love being a mom and a wife, I love my boys and my husband, but some days can be very difficult. Anyone who is not a mom, will never really truly understand. Some days, like today, I just feel so depressed and worn out. I feel like I keep giving and giving and no one even notices, if they do, they don't care. I'm starting to feel like I'm losing my identity, like I'm loosing myself and my spirit. I just need some kind of boost, I'm just not sure what.
When I first became a mother of 2, I wrote out a "job description". I'm feeling that now more then ever......

A mother’s job description:
A kind and loving mother must be qualified in many areas.

-She must know how to fit 2-4 kids in a vehicle in an orderly fashion. And then keep them calm and quiet throughout the trip.

-She must be an expert in sorting through outgrow clothes and worn out shoes (every 4-6 months.)

-She must be able to cook 3 healthy, eatable, meals everyday on a very small budget.

-A qualified mother must know how to change a light bulb, plunge a toilet and fix a toy, pretty much on a weekly basis.

-She must know the difference between needing a band aid or just a kiss and should be skilled in giving medicine to a moving head.

-A kind and loving mother must be able to watch Barney (or Oswald) 15 times in a row and act excited about it.

-She must be able to feed a bottle, answer the phone, let the cat out and keep the dinner from burning all at the same time.

-She must also perform secretary work such as making and remembering the doctor, dentist and vet appointments as well as the neighbor’s birthday party and the soccer schedule.

-A kind, loving mother will promptly send out birthday, anniversary and Christmas cards to everyone she loves and cares about. (This requires knowing everyone’s address.)

-She will keep the check book balanced and never let the toilet paper rolls run out.

-She must keep her arms from flapping, her tummy from bulging and her boobs from drooping.

-A mother must be physically fit. She has exactly 20 minutes to do 2 weeks worth of grocery shopping before the baby starts crying and the kids start terrorizing the grocery store.

-She must provide a clean and organized house. (Or at least vacuum from time to time.)

-A mother may not know, but will learn: to take a shower when she can, to shut and lock the bathroom door, that the more kids she has; the more laundry she has to do and most of all, never to leave the house without sippy cups, baby wipes and gum.

-She has only a 7 hour period in when she can rest, and then, yes, she must do it all over again.

-She will receive very little praise.

-She must do all of this while smiling, looking pretty and without ever complaining.

-Deep in her heart she will know it’s all worth it.