Speaking of life...life is crazy. Brendan is 3 and Ryan is 10 months, already! Already!! I feel like both kids just arrived yesterday and gazed into my eyes at the hospital, probably thinking,"Wow, she looks terrible. Hope she perks up a bit!" When you have babies, every Tom, Dick, Harry, and Henrietta will tell you just this, word for word: "Enjoy these years, they fly by so fast." And you just yawn and say with an eye-roll "Yeah, whatever, I'm tired...hopefully they do fly by so that Momma can get a little shut-eye for a change." But man, were those people right. Brendan sprouted up before my very eyes. I have vivid memories of him just days old, napping on my chest The cute, twisted faces he would make as he'd lift his little fuzzy head to yawn and stretch, then lie down again for more slumbering. Oh how I'd give anything, anything to go back to one of those naps. Ryan is still my little baby, but even she's just about entered toddlerhood with her proud moments of standing all by herself. She dances to any music, even just a car commercial if it's got a good beat. She claps. She waves. She belly laughs like nobody's business, especially when big brother is doing something silly. She crawls at lightning speed which has put my mothering skills to the true test at times. "Who is upstairs in Ryan's room hiccuping into the baby monitor? OMG! It's RYAN!" She took those stairs like an escaped convict and never looked back. (thank God, or she may have fallen.) She's crazy. She's into things Brendan never even thought twice about at this age. Drawers, cupboards, the toilet, shoes....there are shoes scattered all over this house. She looooves jewelry already...can spot a sparkly earring from a mile away and will manage to unclasp it from your ear in a nanosecond. Basically, she's growing so fast, another reason I'm so angry with myself for neglecting this little diary here. She doesn't have all the funny stories and posted somewhere special online like Brendan does...I suppose it's never too late to start though, right?
I'm turning 32 on Saturday. I don't want this to be just any other birthday, not just any new year of life to celebrate. I just did some praying to God upstairs and truly believe that He is what led me right back downstairs to write. (he also mentioned that facebook, if used wisely, can be beneficial. Phew. He also mentioned he has yet to join.) Anyway, I prayed for many things, but most importantly, I prayed for myself. Sounds kind of selfish, but I need some faith in my life more than ever right now. I haven't been feeling very "motherly" as of late. Okay, as of the last 10 months if we're really being honest. Raising two kids has been hard for me. I love my children. Boy do I love my children, but the daily (and nightly) challenges can be very overwhelming, especially with a traveling husband. I'm ashamed to admit that my patience level isn't quite what it was when I was a nanny, raising other's children. I catch myself screaming at my innocent 3 year old for doing things a 3 year old does. I catch myself groaning when the baby won't nap, instead of being thankful that she's a vibrant, healthy baby girl who'd rather play with Momma than sleep. It doesn't help that we're dealing with a sibling rivalry situation between the two. Big brother is still. trying. to. accept the fact that he's no longer the only light in my life. He picks on her. Takes her toys. Pushes her over. Tells her she stinks. (and will eventually tell her she's adopted, I'm sure.) He torments her, and it's hard. I wasn't expecting this kind of upsetting behavior out of him, and I haven't been the best ring leader to try and change the situation. Every night, I get into bed and tell myself, "Tomorrow, I will not yell. I will remember he is only 3. He loves his sissy, he just doesn't like her around so much. He will one day. Tomorrow, I will not yell..." and on and on.
Back to the all praying upstairs that I was doing....I was praying for me. I need strength as a mother. I need patience. I need will power not to be such a screamer. I need to relax. I need to stop and smell the roses. I need to be a good Mom to my children. They need me to keep praying for all of these things so that I can continue to love them as much as I do. Man, I just wish someone had told me parenting was going to be this hard. It's not written anywhere when they send you home with that tiny, tiny newborn. It's all fun and games until big brother has a baby sister.
But, it's not all bad of course...life is actually really good, despite the toddler issues. The husband and I went to a wedding lastnight and like many other simple things that remind me of how incredibly lucky I am, something caught my eye: My husband. He looked downright handsome in his groomsmen outfit. Truth be told, he was the best looking dude in the place. Of course I always feel this way, but nothing like a navy blue blazer and khaki pants to make him pop. I'm so lucky. So lucky to have him. So lucky to have our kids. So lucky to have our families. So lucky to have that wedding where we danced the night away with great friends....
So, I'm turning 32 and with the celebration of another year lived, I am going to make some changes. I'm going to pray more. I'm going to devote myself to being a better Mom, because there's always room for improvement. Always. And most importantly, I'm going to live my life with a little more passion and meaning. My best friend once said, "We're only here once, make it great." Sadly she passed away just a few short months later at just 18 years old. I owe it to her to start living life the way she would have.
I posted a video below of a song that really touches my heart for some reason. "If I Die Young." Life is so fragile. Just incase I die tomorrow, I want you all to know this: I had a safe, loving childhood. I took a total leap of faith by leaving the only home I'd ever known at just 18 years old and flew across the country, only to find my new home. I have formed friendships so close, that really, they're my family now. I found the love of my life in a bar, so don't believe those that say bars are a terrible place to go looking for love. I didn't know what pure joy felt like until my babies were born....the kind of joy that makes you feel like you're floating off the ground and makes your heart skip a beat when you come face-to-face with them for the first time. And if there is one thing I have learned in life, that I get to experience every single day, is that children give the most unconditional love ever imagined. They don't hold grudges, they live in the moment, they wear their hearts on their sleeves, and they passionately scream and go after what they want. We should all live our lives like children, in a way. We should all live without judgement and love all others, even when they pick on us and take our things. The world would be a much better place, wouldn't it?
As I write, I am already feeling so relieved of the daily parenting pressures, and am just so thankful for those precious human beings asleep upstairs and all they've taught me. So thankful for this incredible life that I live with my best friend at my side to continue this crazy journey with. Thank you, God, for leading me downtairs tonight. He really does listen, for those who wonder.
I am done babbling for now and leave you with a couple photos for your viewing pleasure. Stay tuned for more of my greatness. :)
3 comments:
Love this post, babe. Go for it! Every day is a new one, no matter what your failures were the day before. I never have enough patience or kindness but keep committed to the idea that I CAN accomplish this goal! The fact that we WANT it is more than most people admit, so I think we're on the right road.
happy Birthday! Hope it's a great year!
Love this post. We have ALL doubted our mothering "skills" at one time or another. You are not alone. And the one thing I have absolutely NO doubts about...that your a wonderful mother. Keep up the good work Lyns.
I loved everything you said. I have to pray every day too and most days I am not the mother or the person I dreamed I would be. It is nice to hear that from someone else.
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