Mama encouragment

Want to know why our house is called the Marsh Big Top?  I have 3 kids.  I have 3 rowdy kids.  I have 3 busy kids.  I have 3 kids that when I say “my kids are climbing the walls”…they are LITERALLY climbing the walls.  I have 3 crazy, goofy, insane, AWESOME kids.

They used to be little, little kids.  Now, not so much.

And I just took a 30 minute bath using the amazing Lush bath bomb my big, bald, good lookin’ man made sure that Santa left for me this Christmas. And I sat there smelling the yummy bath bomb smells and read my book and took my time and just chilled.  No one came in and bothered me.  No one tallked to me.  I shut the door and sat in silence.

WHY in the world and I talking about kids and then a mama bath?  Because I REMEMBER when the thought of a bath much less the actual action seemed utterly ludicrous.

I remember when I seriously considered using the dog crate as effective child “wrangling” so I could actually take a shower.   I remember the days when they would sit and pay attention to something for .005 nano seconds before moving on to something else.  I remember when emptying the dishwasher was a feat of engineering combined with moments of outwitting a daredevil who loved to pull knives out of the utensil bucket.

I want you to understand, I am NOT bragging!  I am NOT trying to make mamas of young-ins sit and cry because they can’t remember the last time they showered much less took a long, luxurious bath.

I am trying to tell these mamas of young-ins…IT DOES HAPPEN!  There is a day coming where you WILL get short breaks from the insanity.

Did you hear me????  SHORT BREAKS!

I still hear “Mom”, “Momma”, “Mother” or 18,000 other ways they attempt to beckon me over 1000 times a day (You laugh. My actuary sister counted.  This is FACT—1000 time in 1 day.  That’s 24 hours — 1000 times.  I have changed my name on many occasions and refused to answer to any stereotypical maternal name.  They have yet to figure out my secret name)

As I finish this sentence, my 8 year old comes in and asks me for the 20th time in 30 minutes since my bath time bliss if he can watch a show on the t.v. in family room where I am sitting.  And the answer is still NO!!!!!

Today my favorite Christmas tree got broken by a child jumping on it. GRRRRRR

SHORT BREAKS

But mamas…BELIEVE ME….IT WILL HAPPEN!

There is a day coming when they will entertain themselves for a couple hours and only need you to come in and break up the fights.  There is a day coming when they can babysit themselves (but you will have to threaten loss of every single privilege ever if they call you during date night to tattle on each other).

There is a day coming when you will remember how sweet it was to snuggle with them when they were tiny but you really prefer having a semi-rational conversation with them…because you can (unless of course they are teenagering, in which case…do NOT talk…RUN)

I am not going to tell you to enjoy these days because they go so fast.  I have come close to physical assault on well meaning women in the grocery store who feel the need to pass on that little nugget (I’m not saying if that nugget is gold or brown…but it smells!).

I am not going to tell you that when the day comes life is all unicorn pooping rainbows and ice cream for dinner (although that is a perfect acceptable meal!)

I am going to tell you…the day is coming when you can take a 30 minute bath…and relax before you dive back into the chaos.

And when it comes….take a hold of that half hour and enjoy!