Playing

Took the kids to the park to play. Wilson acted like he didn't want to play at first, but he ended up enjoying himself, and burning some energy off. 

It's Valentine's day? Oh, no, it's just another day in the life of....

A couple weeks of the evil swing shift. The only good thing about Valentine's day is that this is the last day Andy has to work this evil shift.

Let me paint you a picture: I wake up with the kids, feed them breakfast, change clothes (at some point) entertain them, try to drink a cup of coffee, catch up on the internet, sometimes have to make or answer phone calls, (which is no easy thing with two munchkins hanging around) at some point before lunchtime, Callie will be extra crazy, and have a crazy two year old meltdown over something, with shrieking, and causes Andy to get woken up. Normally earlier than he would like. He tries to distract children, while I get lunch ready, brush my teeth, and put my contacts in. (If I haven't been able to yet. Which sometimes happens) 

They eat lunch, (hopefully) and do some more playing, and then I get them ready for quiet/nap time. Quiet time for Wilson in his room, with his ipad and snack and drink, and Callie, changed, with her milk, in her crib.

Finally! Now I can eat lunch, shower, dress, relax, until it's time for Andy to go work, where I then, help him pack his lunch, kiss him goodbye at 3:30.

I'm then alone with the kids, until I can finally manage to get them to bed. Sometimes I even cook dinner in there!
So let see, there's dinner, attempt to clean up mess from dinner, referee the two, because at this point, they are full of energy and terrorizing each other, and myself. Try to get them to calm down, I either try to get them to watch a movie, or we take a bath first, and then watch a movie. Either way, they are getting in their pjs.

And I have to watch them like a hawk in the bath, or else water ends up all over the floor, or I find my two year old perched up on the sink, chewing the tooth paste container. Sometimes, both of those things happen in the same night.

 Did I mention the screamfest because Callie was ready to take a bath, but the movie wasn't over? I didn't? Well there's pretty much always a screamfest before bathtime.

Finally, I manage to get them in their rooms, and now I will  pile up my dishes, because the thought of actually doing them, would literally send me over the edge. Sweep up all the crumbs that happened between dinner to bedtime. Shove all the toys into the corner. Start a load of laundry, and take the clean clothes out the dryer.

Did I ever tell you about the time I pinned some crazy cleaning schedule? Umm, yeah, that cleaning schedule can kiss my behind. I mean, maybe if you were a stay at home wife, with no children. Sure, it totally seems do-able. But right now? Folks, I'm lucky if I REMEMBER to wipe down my baseboards once a year, let alone once a week. 

I'm sure one day, many, many years from now I will miss these toddler years. I miss lots of things, I miss being young, I miss being carefree, I miss all that time I spent reading, playing my video games I used to like playing. I miss having a job, with my coworker friends, and we'd go out and get drinks after work. Will I get that back? Maybe, maybe not. There will be moments missed of these years, little hands holding mine, hearing a little voice saying "You wecome." Snuggling, the sound of them laughing.

But there are things I won't miss, like the messes, the tantrums, the frustration, the monotony of the day in, day out routine. Just like there are things I don't miss about before I had children, like the time I wasted on relationships, decisions I made, getting a belly ring. Not educating myself more.

Phew, well now that I have whined and cried enough, I feel so much better. I hope one day, I'll come back to this post, and maybe be able to be like "Oh, it wasn't that bad."

(I doubt it.)