A Day in the Life of......a Mother

I thought I would post a few pictures today to show a day in the life of a Mother. I can tell you that there is no greater joy than to be a Mother but I can also tell you with that great joy comes extreme hard work. I sometimes laugh when I think back to the days when it was just Kyle and me. The days of sleeping in on Saturdays, the days of going to get slushies at Sonics after playing 2-hours of tennis, the days of just looking at the paper, the days of just reading on the couch, the days of just going to the movies for the heck of it, those days are surely gone and replaced with waking up at 6:00am on Saturdays (mainly with one eye opened) to feed an early bird, going to the nearest playgrounds to let the high energy 3 year old release herself, having your paper ripped in two by an eager 8 month old, reading one sentence of YOUR book before Good Night Moon is thrown at you to read, movies.......ah, let's see.....nope, these days if I want to see a movie I go solo or Kyle goes solo, hardly ever together. Now....these days, although vastly different from life sans kids, I wouldn't trade for anything. I relish in having myself look like a complete mess 95% of the time. I know these days are short and before I know it my little precious girls will be all grown up and out of the house and then Kyle and I will be too old to play tennis and drink slushies....Ha! But I'm enjoying my lack of freedom and I know my lack of freedom equals my kids joy and for now that's all that matters.

This is how I look most mornings...I'm just keeping it real.

Fixing breakfast (when I have to get up real early...it's a cereal day) to a hungry 3 year old, who leaves this for me to clean up afterwards...

Belle's had her breakfast...I don't know why she looks so tired here, she's the early bird of the family.

A little PBS for Allie-Ann while I clean the kitchen. Of course both girls are just like their mommy in that it takes a lot to get them going in the morning.

Belle in the jumper while I clean the kitchen

Always always dishes to either put in or take out of the dishwasher

Need I say more.....

After breakfast clean up, it's play time for everyone

After morning play and Belle's nap, we have lunch

Belle's lunch

After lunch we go outside to walk or play depending on the weather. Yes this is Allie-Ann with no sleeves early March.

So....I'm not one of the smart moms who owns a two seater stroller. So after Allie-Ann gets tired from walking we switch and I put Belle in my Baby Djorn carrier while Allie-Ann takes the stroller. About 50 pounds I'm pushing....great workout though.

Afternoon nap time.

Fast forward to the end of the day, this is how the playroom looks. Crazy right, I'm just glad it's all in one room. I've been very diligent about having our space in the house. The living room, office and our room is adult friendly...no toys!!!!

No matter how crazy it can get raising your children, hopefully all the work you put in....

will have them always running back to you...