To me there is nothing better then being a mother. I have always known I wanted to have at least three children. I think I wanted a bigger family because I am an only child. Parenting is a lot of fun but it can also be very challenging. I know for me I just want to be the best mom I can, it is stressful sometimes but it is worth all the hard work. I try to keep three basic “rules” in mind when I face the day, a flexible schedule, to play and listen to my children, and not to sweat the small stuff.
We don’t follow a strict schedule by any means but I try to have somewhat of a structure. Come 7:30 we are out the door to bring Keaton to school we drop him off at school and will be back to pick him up at 2:00. We get back home and we play some dress up. Marnie has to put on her favorite pink skirt and pink top along with her crown and wand, she is a true princess. Piper is on the floor for some tummy time so one of these days she will get her cute little dimply legs moving. After awhile Marnie decides she is hungry so we go look for a snack. She usually digs through the basket of fruit and pulls out an apple which needs to be peeled but not cut. When she is finished we decide to make dessert because Piper is down for her morning nap. This is one of Marnies favorite parts of the day because she loves to lick the spoon! We are just finishing up and I can hear Piper awake playing in her crib. I go get her and we come back out and decide to color a picture. Piper sits on the floor next to us grabbing the pages of the coloring books and she acts like it is the best toy ever. Marnie starts to rub her eyes and wants to watch TV. on the couch. I turn on a cartoon while she lays there rubbing her ducky blanket. Piper and I continue to play on the floor with some of her toys; I look over and notice Marnie has fallen asleep. I remember I have laundry to fold so I bring Piper in the bedroom and fold clothes while she is playing peek a boo with all the clean clothes. I start getting hungry so I go out and make a sandwich and get some food for Piper. We sit down and have our lunch before Marnie because she is still sound asleep on the couch. When we are all done Marnie is awake and asks for some lunch. She sits down and has her lunch. When we are all finished eating we play some more dress up and cook some food in her play kitchen. We finish playing it is 1:30 so we start to get ready so we can get Keaton. We get there at 1:45 and wait for him to come out. We see Keaton coming out of the big blue doors. We drive home and he is hungry as soon as he gets home so he asks for some peanut butter and crackers. I make him some crackers and he watches cartoons on TV. Piper goes down for a nap. Keaton is done eating so he plays with one of his many cars he has on his car mat. I start to make dinner while Marnie runs back and forth between helping me and playing with Keaton. Dinner is usually on the table around and 5:30. We all sit down to have our dinner. When we are all finished Keaton takes a shower and Marnie and Piper jump in the bath. They get out and stand in front of the fireplace so they stay nice and warm. They get their pajamas on, brush their teeth and find a book to read. We read a book altogether in Keaton’s room. When we are finished I turn their nightlights on and head down the hall, they are in bed at 7:30. I finish picking the house up and then get on the computer to do my class work. That is the basic schedule I try to follow ever day I as long as we have the eating and sleeping on somewhat of a time schedule we can switch up the rest of the day.
During our day my children want me to play with them or watch them play or make a funny face. I find that if I get down and really play with them it makes it more pleasurable for everyone. Most of the day my kids are saying “Mommy watch this”, “Mommy listen to me”, “Mommy come play with me; they just want my attention. I don’t get much time to play with Keaton since he is in school all day but as soon as he gets home we all play together. We sit down and have a snack and then we play cars or play Candy Land (his favorite game). While we are playing we talk about what happened at school that day; sometimes it is like pulling teeth but other days he can’t spit it out fast enough. During the day Marnie likes to play a lot of girly things because when Keaton is home she plays cars with him. She loves it when I play dress up with her or make a pizza in her pretend oven. As long as Marnie is involved with the activities she feels very special and we have a good time together. At this point Piper just wants anyone around her so she can laugh at them. We all love to tickle her because she gets her loud belly laugh going and she can’t stop. She enjoys sitting on her play mat and watching her brother and sister play. We all will get down on the floor with her and talk to her for awhile and show her new toys and she thinks that is the best. I have learned that if I keep my kids involved with the activities of the day it goes much smoother. I love that they want to be around me I would be lost if they weren’t at my feet all the time. I know there will come a day when they don’t want me around all the time so I am going to eat it up while I can.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. I am looking at my sliding glass door and I count 5 handprints on my window. I feel blessed to have the handprints all over my windows. I know there will be a day that I wish I saw those tiny little handprints shining in the sun. Every time I open up my favorite cookbook I see all my little drawings in it from my kids. I remember when Keaton first made a mark in the book while I was cooking; my first reaction was to say no don’t do that but then I said why not? It wasn’t going to hurt any thing and I would always have his drawings in there. Now when I open my cookbook I smile ever time I see the scribbles so I encourage Marnie to draw in it like her big brother did. I do have a lot to do during the day between laundry, cooking, cleaning and school but I wanted all of that. As much as I complain sometimes I truly do love it. What would I do if I didn’t have anyone to take care of, I would be lost. Life is too short to complain all the time and before you know it your children will be all grown up so I treasure all the little messes they leave behind. (Notice I did say little)
Raising children can be very difficult and challenging but the good always outweighs the bad. I have always wanted to be a mother and watching my children growing up is so rewarded. The three “rules” I try to follow everyday helps the flow of the day be a more relaxed one. I still have a lot more to learn as my journey in parenting continues but as long as I make each day a happy one I feel like I have accomplished something.
