It’s the little things …

Mommies need their own moments.

Yesterday was one of those days when everything just seemed to fall into place in mommy’s favor. My husband’s schedule for work worked out in a way, so that he was responsible for getting the kiddos up and out the door, and was also responsible for picking them up at the end of the day. This meant, that I got more than my fair share of ‘me’ moments. I savored every.last.one.

I had a cup of coffee and breakfast at home, while watching the Today show. On my couch. In the quiet. No one asked for their diaper to be changed (yes, he is ASKING for his diaper to be changed, ::headdesk::), no one was fussing for a bottle, no one was chasing the pug or spitting up on themselves … just me, coffee, biscuits with strawberry jam, and Matt Lauer (*swoon). I drove to work listening to my new audio book instead of The Backyardigans. I arrived to work feeling awake, and stress-free. It was a good morning.

After work I met a good friend for paper shopping … which to a lot of people sounds boring, but to me … is HEAVEN. There is just something about that aisle in your local craft store with stacks upon stacks on rainbow colored perfection that makes me giddy.

(Another thing to add to my ‘what makes me a giant nerd’ list)

We picked out the exact shades of red and blue I want to use for the invitations and banner for the Mouse’s party … and found crepe paper to match! I can’t wait to get them back from her to see the final product.

Next, I did some serious grocery shopping. Alone. And yes, this once again sounds like a silly, monotonous thing to get excited about … but this is what grocery shopping is usually like for me these days:

‘Mom, why are we shopping?’
‘Because we need food, kiddo’
‘Why we need food?’
‘Well, so we don’t get hungry’
‘Why we get hungry?’
‘If we don’t eat, we would get hungry’
‘Mom, I want to’
‘You want to eat? We can when we get home’
‘I want to eat NOW’
‘Well, we can’t eat now, we haven’t paid for our food yet. What would you like to eat when we get home?’
‘Um, PICKLES!’
‘Okay, we can eat pickles when we get home’
‘Awww, why mom?’
‘Why what, kiddo?’
‘Why we eat pickles?’
‘You just said you wanted to eat pickles!’
‘Why mom?’

This is about the moment when I start screaming in my head.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

‘Mom, you not listening to me?

‘Mom?’

‘MOM?!’

You can see why I enjoyed a quiet grocery shopping trip. I leisurely strolled up and down all the aisles. I browsed. I read labels and tried not to just throw the same thing I buy every other week into my basket. When I finally went to check out, I looked at my watch and noticed that it was now 7:45pm. Oops.

I came home to dinner made, my baby almost ready for bed, and a happy happy Mouse. I didn’t have to run around the house trying to simultaneously feed a crying Froggy, get dinner on the stove, the bills paid, and the laundry started. I sat down, enjoyed dinner and a glass of wine, and the got the Mouse through his bedtime routine. We cuddled and took our time reading several books, since I didn’t have to worry about the Froggy screaming his head off in the other room.

Life is SO much more enjoyable when I have help in the evenings. It just really is. While I am so very thankful for my husband’s job, and the awesome company that he works for … I really do cuss out his retail schedule every chance that I get.

This weekend my parents are coming in to town, and we’re planning on several fun activities with the kiddos throughout their visit. I’m so excited to spend some good, quality time with my kids, but at the same time not feel like I have to juggle everything by myself. It’s a balance, you know? That precious time to yourself that allows you to stay sane, and that precious time immersed in your children because you know tomorrow they’ll be one day older. I feel like I try to to walk that line between both necessities … to remember that I am a mom, but also a wife, and also a person unto myself. It’s hard though, which do put first, or also, which is most healthy for me/my husband/my kids to put first?

The world may never know. I know I probably won’t.