Confessions of a Messy Mom

Yes, that is my dining/living room.

 

Yes, there is a bunch of stuff piled on the dining room table and, though you don't get the full effect here (that picture will come later), there are toys all over the floor.

 

I'm a messy mom.

 

I never intended to be this way. Though I've always had messy tendencies, for the most part, I like things neat and orderly. I function better when things are neat and orderly. I always thought I'd be one that would make sure everything was picked up every night before bed so we could at least start the day fresh, but then reality set in. The reality of the fact that the girls are usually fussy after dinner and I just rush them into baths to hurry up bed time instead of making them "help" me pick up the toys. The reality of the fact that when night time comes, after baths, I'm done. The reality that my oldest still likes to rock and fall asleep in my arms (a bad habit that got started after I was in the hospital in July and she would sit with me in my chair at night) which also translates, most nights, to me falling asleep in the rocking chair with her as well. So, by the time I get her in bed, I'm usually struggling to stay awake myself having just woken up, too.

 

The reality is that my oldest, the last couple of weeks, has been waking up during the night and crawling into bed with us. We have a king-size bed so this wouldn't be to much of an issue except that she likes to sleep right up next to me and, like most kids, she sleeps horizontal so most nights her feet are in my back or on my face. I should love on her for a minute and put her back in her bed, but I'm usually just craving sleep and so I allow her in our bed. I never expected to have to try and function during the day on so little sleep. It is a vicious cycle.

 

The reality that the nights Hailey sleeps through the night, Madison decides it is her turn to "hang" with mom during the night (darn those teeth!).

 

The reality is that we all have expectations for what things are going to be like at our house when we have kids and yet, no one can really ever be prepared or know what things will be like when children enter our world.

 

I expected, because I choose to stay home with my girls, I would have all the time in the world to keep on top of things like laundry and cleaning. I saw myself cooking most, if not all, meals.

 

The reality... 

• I work part-time from home so, even though I'm home with my girls, I do work and don't have all day to focus on cleaning and laundry
• Because of working part-time from home, I feel like I am a jack of all trades and master of nothing (this feeling probably comes from the lack of sleep paired with the frustration of never getting everything done during the day I want to get done)...
• Sometimes the towels stay in the basket waiting to be folded until it is time to wash towels again...
• Most days toys are everywhere...
• My Christmas Tree is still up...in February...
• I need to vacuum...
• Most days there is stuff piled onto our dining room table and we have to move things around to be able to eat dinner...or we eat in the living room...
• We eat out or Aaron brings dinner home more than I would like...

I'm a messy mom...but I do the absolute best that I can each and every day.

 

The living room with toys everywhere and Madison sitting on something...

 



But what I need to remember is that one day my girls will be older and I won't have this time with them again. They won't care that the towels didn't get folded, but will care that I sat with them when they were teething and fussy. They won't care that the Christmas tree is still up in February, but will remember that I rocked them to sleep. They won't care that we ate out more than I would have liked, but they will remember they had food to eat. They may not remember those specific things, but will be better off because I choose to do be with them.
 
I also need to remember that one day they will be older and they can help me with all of these things. They do like to help now, but, as those of us who have or have had toddlers know, their "help" isn't always the kind of help we need. Of course, I encourage that "help", but sometimes that tries my patience just as much as having to do it all myself.
 
I would like to have the house picked up most of the time, but the reality is, living life is messy and that's okay.

So, for all you messy moms out there (those who work outside the home or those that stay home), give yourself a break!

What realities have set in for you?