Wednesday, November 15, 2017

It Does In Fact Get Easier. Kinda....



It's 7:45 a.m. on a weekday. The mini's school clothes are laid out on the edge of the couch, waiting for them to put them on and walk themselves down the street to their school. The clothes have been laid out since the previous evening, when the minis picked out their own outfits to wear. This seems to help the morning run (slightly) smoother. Currently, all three minis are in the kitchen getting breakfast. I'm helping them, but for the most part, they have it under control. I have enough time to get my coffee made. I even have time to get a few sips in as they clear the table from breakfast and head into the bathroom to brush their teeth.

I get that I'm painting a scene of calm and serenity for the morning. In reality, I'm shouting from another room "did you really brush your teeth or just pretend again? Let me smell your mouth." Mornings, or any other time of day for that matter, aren't exactly picture perfect. Yet something has changed throughout the years. It makes the mornings seem less crazy. Something that has made my life easier and harder at the same time.

The minis are doing things for themselves. They are finally old enough to get themselves ready with minimal help. They can get themselves breakfast, snacks, zip their own coats, blow their own noses, and fully use the bathroom by themselves. I no longer have one or two (or all three) hanging on me, needing something every minute of every day. They can play by themselves, entertain themselves, and we're even getting into the "leave me alone and give me space" stages with the older two.

I'll admit, it's absolutely freeing. To not have three young children constantly needing or wanting something from me at every moment is glorious. Not to say I didn't enjoy the preschool/toddler/baby ages because I absolutely loved them. I wouldn't change that time for anything. They were amazing times filled with growth (for everyone), cuddles, tears, laughter, and adventures. Adventure sums up that time period well because every day was an adventure. No day was like the one before. Each day surprising me with a crazy story to tell later. Yet it was taxing.

I can now sleep in on a Saturday morning because they can turn on cartoons themselves, get themselves breakfast, play games. I now seem to have more time to do things that I enjoy doing. So far I've written this without one interruption, other than a quick question of where a mini set his cup so he could get himself more water. I can pick up a book and read with limited interruptions while having help with the laundry. Teaching them life skills is kinda awesome because it helps me out too.

This new stage is not without it's struggles. We've got more activities to get to, more play dates, and more school events than ever. Our calendar is filled up with not only our own to do lists, but one for each child as well. There's also pre-puberty for the oldest. Shit is getting real emotional around here, which just makes everyone in our family more emotional (or so I'm discovering). Our day to day tasks have gotten easier, while the topics we have discuss with our children have gotten tougher, deeper, and more emotional.

No matter the age of the child(ren), parenting is no easy feat. We overcome one stage only to be met with the challenges of another. Some stages are easier, some more enjoyable, yet all are memorable. While everyday still brings it's challenges, and still some great stories to tell, there's far less crazy adventures in our day to day life. That's probably why life feels easier at the moment......until that next stage comes.


Pictures from crazier days: