All too Soon Too Big and Too Busy

As a mom who has struggled at times with balancing everything with two small children, I often look forward to the days my children will be more independent and we can have a little bit of our adult time back.  My husband and I were together for five years before we had kids, and it's a time I'm incredibly grateful for. We did many things whether it was taking trips, weekly Friday happy hours with friends, toured wineries and wine trails through close to a dozen states. When we started talking about having kids as much as we both wanted them we were both a little hesitant because we knew we'd have to change our lifestyle and with no family around for support there weren't going to be many escapes once we opened that parenting door.


Now six years later there is no doubt it was a door worth opening. Even though we may talk about the days we can take an all inclusive trip with adults, go watch live bands every Friday night, or indulge in all day wine tours again, we also often share the things we'll miss about these younger years of our children's lives because we know one day all too soon they'll be too big and too busy for these things.


1. Sharing our bed: Yes, sometimes we do wish they slept in their own beds more but one of my favorite parts of the day is laying in bed with them and listening to their chatter. As much as Kenz can drive me crazy with her chatter way past even my own bedtime, I am so going to miss her little girl voice going on telling me about her friend Jack or Benjamin, or her telling me how we have the same eyes, or that she loves me, sissy, and daddy. I know Nate loves his snuggles with Averi as she is his cuddle bug.  Even though they wake up before us pretty much every weekend we are so going to miss the morning giggles, tickling,  and wrestling matches with them. I know all too soon the thought of sleeping with mom and dad will be something for babies. This will all too quickly be a thing of the past.


2. Grocery Shopping with them: Yes, I know this is one of those things that can be a real pain. Trust me, there are times escaping to the grocery store by myself is like my sanity vacation from my life but in the chaos that is life at times this has always been a great opportunity again for just fun, lively chats with them. Even though those quiet trips to the store are nice I know there will be a time I will practically beg them to come keep me company at the grocery store and chat about their day, but again they'll rather go meet up with their friends or have something more pressing to do than accompany mom on a boring household chore. All too soon those sometimes crazy, comical trips to the store with little ones in tow will just a distant memory.


3 The Playground: Sometimes I dread dragging my kids to the playground but once I get there I always realize I'm glad they talked me into the trip. I love being outdoors and I love watching them just running free without a care in the world. I'm always in awe of the carefree and innocence of childhood. Even though I know their childhood is technically about eighteen years, the innocence of it only lasts for a little over half of that. All too soon I know they'll be too big and too busy for the playground. With the disappearance of that will also be the disappearance of that carefreeness that comes with childhood. They'll have obligations and agendas of their own to tackle as they move towards adulthood and all too quickly this will also be a thing of the past.


4. The playroom and collection of toys: Now I'm not going to lie there are certain things about this that I'm not going to miss. I like things neat and tidy and hate clutter so there are certain aspects of a toy room that drive me batty. However, I know when there is no longer a messy toy room there also won't be anymore imaginative play or two sisters pretending to be princesses, cowgirls, doctors, and future mommies themselves. When that room is empty and to be used as an office or some other adult room I know it will because my girls have become too busy with life to participate in the imaginative world of childhood anymore. The emptying of that playroom I know will also be the closing door of their childhood and those messes will all too soon be just a distant memory.


5. Friday and Saturday dinners out: I'm as guilty as the next of sometimes dreaming about those days where we can go out for a meal again without getting up right as the food comes to run some toddler to the bathroom for an "I have to go NOW" moment or having to cut up and force feed a reluctant toddler or spending our dinner drink money on kid meals. But when they don't have to go check out every public bathroom they are such entertaining dinner guests and watching them charm the servers always makes us smile. But again before too long I know this one will be running off on a Friday night with her boyfriend and this one will be taking off with her friends, and we'll be left with just one another's company once again. All too quickly these double date dinners with our children will be a thing of the past.


I know these are the crazy years. Sometimes we're going to feel overwhelmed and even frustrated, but these early years will really be over before we know it. This time in their lives and ours is just a blink in time. All too soon they'll be too big and too busy for sleeping and cuddling with mom and dad, running to the store with us, enjoying a nice day at the playground, for a playroom, and for going out to eat with Mom and Dad on a Friday or Saturday night. Now is the time to enjoy these things. It's so easy in the chaos and hectic moments that is young parenthood to forget that these little, sometimes annoying, things really are the big things that make the life of parenthood the amazing journey that it is.


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This post is linked up at The Jenny Evolution