Mid Week Revelation: Sibling unpredictability

On some days, 90% of my time is spent refereeing and fielding allegations between both of my children. On other days, my ears ring from the silence and compatibility... Motherhood, the land of unpredictability. 

Mid Week Revelation: Potty training...

While potty training my son, this temporarily defeated mom said to him, "do you want to wear undies or a diapey today?" He answered with "diapey." I then asked, do you like diapeys better?" He ended with, "no, like candy better." I'm not sure what to do with that information, but I do know potty training is on hold for another few days.

I will always cherish this memory

When we do our weekly trip to our local farm, to bask among the various animal life, we always have to make a special stop first. It isn't the obvious farm animals that both of my children are so eager to see. It's a little wooded trail that connects the peacock area to the Mercantile store. 

This little pathway is known to our family as, The Spooky Forest. 

I have been religiously bringing my daughter to this farm since she was about a year old. We have many wonderful memories ranging from, feeding the animals by hand to their first time on a horse. But, at about 18 months old, my daughter was very much into Dora the Explorer and happened to watch an episode where an evil witch was casting spells on Dora and her friends. Well, this little innocent trail became the haven of the evil witch who would turn my daughter into a frog. Then mommy would have to fight the witch and help turn my daughter back into herself -then vice versa. We would spend the majority of our time in this little area, eating our ice cream that was purchased in their dairy store and sparring to keep ourselves from being turned into an amphibian. 

This tradition continued well into her 4th year.

Now, my son is 2.5 years old and was brought up knowing about this Spooky Forest. When we arrive, they are both pining to run over to the "forest" to battle the evil witch, even before eating ice cream. Although, I don't think my daughter gets the same excitement out of it as she used to, especially not as much as he currently does. But I will never tire from watching her imagine and "pass the torch" off to her little brother.

It's funny, because no matter how many times we go to that farm and how many animals we see and how many times my children go horseback riding and how much ice cream we consume. That image of the spooky forest will always be in the forefront of my mind. This little local farm will always hold that special memory for me and years from now, I know I'll find myself sitting on a log, in the middle of that trail, playing back those incredible vivid memories of my two young children giggling, running, and laughing together. 

Mid Week Revelation: Hand over that bag of chips

Motherhood... The point in time in your life, when it's completely acceptable, and sometimes encouraged, to hand over an entire bag of sour cream and onion chips to both of your children, in order to have a conversation with another adult on the phone.

I want to remember all these moments

This is the life I always want to remember, never wanting to forget. Years from now, when my husband and I are empty nesters, I want to remember the house filled with utter loudness, toys everywhere, food in places you can't imagine, and best of all, the incredible amount of love.

I want to remember the feeling of standing outside my children's bedroom and hearing them talk about the day ahead of them. To remember the feeling of tears almost filling up when I see my daughter go out of her way to help her brother. Or seeing them shoulder to shoulder reading and completing puzzles. 

I want those memories of this amazing time in the forefront.
...Because this time is truly amazing.

I want to remember the way my son immediately reaches for his sister as soon as he becomes scared or isn't sure about something.

Or, seeing them laughing to hysterics and using their limitless imaginations while swimming in their pool.

Life with two children has been unbelievably magical. But, being a stay at home mom, I tend to take each day for granted -knowing it will always be there tomorrow. However, I appear to be falling victim to Father Time, not realizing how much time is actually passing, until the time is gone.

In the moment, time seems to stand still. I get caught up in the repetitious routines of the day. On some days, the moments that are breathtaking, are the times I'm rushing them to fit in some schedule -I don't realize they're breathtaking until both of my children are sound to sleep and I relive the day in my head, by myself. 

The silent night is the time I sometimes replay everything over again. That's when I sit and scroll through old photos, astonished by the growth and development of both children and surprised by the concept that my first baby will be 5 years old in about 5 weeks and my son, almost 3. Then at that moment, I snapshot all those images into my brain. All the memories over the past years. To have them as a keepsake; and a reminder that everyday is different and cannot be taken for granted. That time is fleeting and will leave you wondering how you ended up with an almost 5 & 3 year old. 

Because, Father Time will not wait for anyone. 

Mid Week Revelation: Motherhood... It's definitely not for the weak

With motherhood, I don't think I was that aware of the vast array of up and down emotions you experience in any given day -To have the feeling of jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, to only be pushed back minutes later by an overwhelming feeling of love and happiness... And somehow, all this is completely normal. Motherhood, it's definitely not for the weak.

Mid Week Revelation: Fighting naptime

Somebody needs to tell my son to stop fighting his naps, because what he doesn't realize is one day, he'll be fighting to have the opportunity to nap.