Like all moms, I love my children more than anything. But having said that, there are so many things I wish I hadn’t taken for granted before I had my kids. The list could have gone on and on, but since I have been on the 4:30 a.m. wake-up duty with my youngest for a few weeks, I’ve been thinking about this a lot and have narrowed it down to five.
1. Disposable Income
Oh, how I fondly remember the days of being able to buy something on a whim: clothes, sneakers, a meal out. Not that we live hand-to-mouth by any stretch, but money with two kids is no longer something to be spent without thinking about it first.
2. Reading or staying up late to binge-watch a show.
I used to read while at the gym or getting a pedicure….yeah, those days are long gone for now. I need to sneak it in or stay up way too late binge-watching Netflix.
3. Not stepping on toys in the middle of the night.
In our house, the Legos seem to multiply at night and spread themselves out strategically. No matter how well we clean up, there’s always one rogue toy (or maybe they really do come alive at night?). Even the soft toys are hazardous when you have only one eyelid open at 2 a.m.
4. Grocery shopping once a week.
No matter how detailed my list, how thorough my meal planning, I end up back at a grocery store at least twice a week in addition to my initial shop. Why? Either all the food has been eaten or the beasts boycott what I had planned to serve them.
5. Personal space.
Honestly, I can’t wait to get to the stage in my life when I can use the bathroom with the door closed in peace, sit at the table to do work without someone pulling on my clothes, drink coffee or eat a meal without someone trying to grab my food, etc, etc. I miss my space.
Luckily, my little guys give great snuggle hugs and are super cute. Seriously, I know this is just a season of motherhood that is wearing on the body, but it also builds the bonds.
