Remembering the good and the crazy parts of parenting.
Remember Those Days
In the middle of a chaotic day with the kids, I’ll often turn to my husband and remark, “Remember those days?”
He knows what I’m talking about: the days before kids.
The days when we could wake up at a decent hour. The days when we could leave the house without worrying about having a stocked diaper bag. The days when we could come home from work and relax.
The days when we cooked meals and both of us ate them without complaint. The days when the house was cleaned and stayed cleaned for way longer than 30 seconds.
The days when it only took an hour or so to do laundry. The days when we could stay up late, not worrying about which kid would be waking us up in the middle of the night or before the crack of dawn…
Sigh.
But…
But then we look at our kids. They’re growing up so fast.
When we realize this, the memory game goes more like this:
Remember when we decorated the nursery for our oldest, taking great pains to get the colors in the mural just right? Remember that fuzzy little head with the big brown eyes that we brought home?
Remember when he shouted “Wow!” for each and every present he opened on his first birthday? Remember how curious he was about the world around him, asking questions and absorbing every answer?
Remember when we found out our second baby was a girl?
Remember how she could take any simple thing and turn it into a work of art? Remember how she grew up to be our little ‘super ninja’ who could sneak up on anyone?
Remember when we found out we were having another boy? Remember when he started doing front AND back flips into the pool when he was only 5, without ever being taught how?
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Remember when we decided to have one more baby, and the excitement we felt because we didn’t know if it was a boy or girl?
Remember how our last little toddler would call it ‘bathing soup’ instead of ‘bathing suit’? Remember how she went from being crazy about Moana to crazy about horses to crazy about Ninja Turtles?
(Ignore me. I’m just gonna go sob now.)
Remember those days.
At the time, you might not want to embrace the chaos, but when you really sit back and think about it, it’s in the chaos where we’ll relive our memories. In those chaotic times our kids will live and grow, and we’ll want to remember every little bit of it.
Because some day, you’ll be able to get up at a decent hour. You’ll be able to leave the house with just the clothes on your back You’ll be able to enjoy a meal without anyone complaining.
Your house will be cleaned and stay clean. You’ll be able to stay up late and sleep in even later…
Remember those days, because they go by way too fast.
I know it’s cliche, but it’s true. It’s so painfully yet wonderfully true.
Free Printable
Get a free printable in my Resource Library to help you remember those early days of parenting that you’ll want to remember.
Melinda Cummings says
Thanks for the reminder to cherish these times.
It’s so easy to think about how easy things were before…
I know I will miss it when they go off and start their own lives.
Jennifer Bradley says
This brings on all the mommy feels for sure! It can be so easy to look back at how much easier life was before kids, but you’re right – it wasn’t nearly as rich and fulfilling.
Michelle says
This was a beautiful post. I think as moms/parents we do got to remember the good, and not always the bad or wanting your old life again! I love my life as a mom and wouldn’t trade it in for anything else.