Tantrums. Teething. Toddlers.
Motherhood: the art of talking a five year old down from the throws of nervous breakdown, while explaining how to hold the scissors correctly to the three year old, as the one year old screams in your ear over the budding molars.
It’s been one of those days. The days that start with going to bed late the night before and then have a false start around 3am when the swollen gums get the better of the baby. The kind of day that makes you question your life choices and wonder how in the world your kids are ever going to grow up to be competent adults. I mean, how in the world will they get college educated and change the world when I can’t get them to put their socks in the hamper?
Here is the crazy part: when I tuck them into bed tonight and their little arms wrap around me, it will all be forgiven. That is the magic of motherhood.
Eventually, the teeth will all be in place and no longer painful. Eventually, he will learn the difference between an emergency and a dropped crayon. Eventually, she will be able to button her jeans on her own. Eventually, I will be able to accomplish the goals set for today without adjusting them down to whatever has to be done in order to survive. Eventually.
For now, I write to release the stress and express my frustration but also to remind myself that it’s not as bad as it feels. As their mommy, my first instinct is to defend them and make everything sound like rainbows and unicorns. But, as a human person, my immediate reaction is to be frustrated and angry. So when I write it down, it seems easier to balance between the two extremes and allow myself to vent but also be reminded that this is just the temporary rough part in the middle of a beautiful phase in life.
I love the moments in the (rare) quiet when we get to read books. I love the “ah hah” moments that light up their eyes when they learn something or accomplish something. I love the feeling that comes with those messy hands holding mine or those little arms reaching for me. I love making forts with them and baking brownies with them and using too much bubbles in the bathtub.
We are going to make it through this day.
For now though, I’m going to just take a deep breath and try to finish the floors before nap time is over.
