Mommy of Two

For the last 3 months I have experienced being a mom of 2! I LOVE being a mom - there is nothing more rewarding then raising a child, but nothing prepares you for the changes your life undergoes. I always blog about my babies and what new things they are learning or what they have accomplished and I thought I should reflect a bit on what I have come to learn about the reality of being a mommy for two...

1 - Bathroom Breaks. I will never or maybe for a long time ever enjoy going to the bathroom by myself. I always have one or the other with me, and most the time the door is open so I can talk to them while going about my business. Going to the bathroom in public is so much fun now with a talking 2-year old let me tell you - the whole bathroom knows our business by the time we leave.

2 - Multi-tasking. I have become an excellent multi-tasker! I think every woman is born with this ability, but it is definitely perfected once you have children. It seems whenever I am at home I am managing at least 3 things at one time. At one time, I have successfully fed the baby, read a book and went to the bathroom all at the same time!

3 - Time Management. I ALWAYS feel like I am rushing! Every where I go - to work, to the grocery store, to the mall, to parties - it doesn't matter I am always behind schedule and RUSHING out the door - hence the 2 speeding tickets I racked up this past week - Yikes! I really do try to have a schedule in tact, but inevitably there is something that puts us behind - whether it's when Eli decides to poop just after being buckled into his car seat, or Ashtyn decides she wants to take her bunny with us and it is no where to be found! I wonder if every mother constantly feels "out of control" - I sure do, I guess there will just never be enough minutes in the day, but I really need to learn to slow down or my license will soon be taken away!

4 - Housekeeping. This is probably my biggest battle - my house is constantly a MESS! I grew up in a home where it was required to be clean, so I naturally have that instinct to keeps things in order. Well about the time Ashtyn learned to crawl the idea of a "neat and clean" home flew out the window. And now with 2 babies it is almost impossible - 3 if you count my husband! I feel like all I ever do is clean up toys, wash bottles, do laundry and finally when I feel done - it's somehow a mess again! I used to love when I could spend the day cleaning my house and see the pretty vacuum lines in the carpet - now, they are gone in a matter of seconds! But what I have learned is to lighten up a bit and just enjoy playing with my kids - there will always be a home to clean and organize but my babies are only little for so long.

5 - Sharing. For anyone that knows me, I never share my drinks, food, chap stick, ect with anybody ESPECIALLY kids because I have this fear of slobber that makes me sick to my stomach. One time Matt licked the ice cream off of Emily's ice cream cone when it was melting and I about threw up! Well, I have come to reality that slobber - of my own children - is not so bad. How could I ever not have an "open" mouth kiss from Eli or share a drink with Ashtyn when she is thirsty - even with a bunch of slobber pouring out of their mouths. Licking a Popsicle after they have slobbered on it may be where I draw the line, but I am sure eventually I will be challenged to overcome that fear.

6 - Patience. This is something I pray to God every night for, and thankfully he continues to deliver. I am one whom never has patience for anybody - I am a horrible teacher because of my lack for patience, I get very irritated with people FAST! Well, having babies has forced me to learn the art of patience, and for some reason with them, I can do it! I am not saying I don't have days where I feel like I am going to lose it, but for the most part I try to give my children my undivided attention and help them in that moment of need. I still have to constantly remind myself when I am trying to get dinner ready and Ashtyn keeps asking me to read a book, or get her markers, that it will only take a minute of my time and will put a BIG smile on my baby's face. Teaching Ashtyn to do certain tasks has also been good therapy - it's amazing to watch her learn, and all it takes is a little bit of time and help for her to learn something new. I am sure this will always be a rough area for me, but hopefully with God at my side I can do it and enjoy every minute of my babies.

7 - Sleep. Matt and I talk about this all time, about how we long for the day when we can sleep in till 10 on a Saturday morning! I am not a morning person, so waking up early is extremely challenging. Honestly, I thought when you had kids your body automatically switched to being able to wake up at 5am and be happy - well with me not so much. I will admit, my children are excellent sleepers, but I always feel exhausted and always think the alarm clock is wrong when it goes off! It's even worse that alchol now serves as a sleeping pill for me - one margarita and I am out! I think this is just a reality of having babies and eventually, maybe, sleep will become more consistent, but for now I will figure out how to live without it!

8 - Nap Time. I LIVE for nap time or bed time! I know that sounds horrible to say, but honestly I do. When I know there is going to be a brief break from the insanity I get very excited! And even though it only lasts for an hour or so, I really enjoy my time alone. To just have peace and quiet is a lovely welcome, and for just a moment I feel like a real person again! What did I ever do before children is a question I constantly ask myself - how boring life must have been!

9 - Disney Channel. Oh the Disney Channel is my best friend. I am not going to lie, I use the TV to buy some time so I can get chores done around the house or just take a shower. Thankfully my babies LOVE their TV time. I do make sure Ashtyn watches shows where she can learn a little something, and she has been learning a bit of Spanish from Dora - it's so cute to hear her say "Hola!" or she can say "Rojo and Verde". I am sure this will become more of an issue when they get older and homework needs to be done, but I will deal with that as it comes...

10 - Unconditional LOVE. I don't think any mother knows how much she can possibly love a child until she has her own. I LOVE my babies more then I could ever express. I will do anything for them and will never miss a moment in their life. It kills me already that I work three days a week, and miss the things I do, but I will be at every concert, sporting event, school event or anything else they do because I love them so much! I am so excited to watch them grow and lead them to become amazing people. It will be challeging - but so WORTH it!