My life, then and now

Then:

1. Clean house

2. Quality activities for children that don't involve TV

3. Enjoy a nice meal at a hip new restaurant

4. Invite friends over for a lovely bottle of wine and specialty cheeses

5. On the weekends: in bed whenever I want, wake up whenever I want

6. Go see a musical, play, concert, show, really anything I want with Patrick, and whenever I want.

7. Stare lovingly into Patrick's eyes.

8. "Do" my hair (blow dry, curl w/curling iron, scrunch with product, half up, etc.)

9. Lay out to tan, talk with friends, enjoy the beach

10. No time to think about priorities in life

Now:

1. Make sure there's not so much dog hair on the floor that the baby will inhale and get lungs full of yellow lab fur. But some is okay.

2. Any activity that doesn't result in a trip to the ER is a good activity.

3. Make sure my 3 year old eats a full meal, there's enough room to nurse my 3 month old...wait, everyone's done and I haven't eaten? Eh, take my food to go.

4. "Daddy, can I smell your wine?" (Do we drink that much that my preschooler knows you smell wine before you drink it??! Not sure if I should be appalled, or proud.)

5. Put one kid to sleep at 7:30pm, then get up with him at 7:32pm because he has to go potty, then at 7:41pm he needs a drink of water, start dozing off at 8:30pm, put the other one down at 9pm when you realize you are both asleep now, go to the bathroom, start brushing your teeth, sing to the first one because he woke up and was afraid of the dark, climb into bed, nurse the second one because he faked you out and wasn't really ready to go down for the night, bring him into bed while he plays and looks at the fan and you fall asleep, put him back in bed at midnight, then you go back to bed...wake up at 6am to feed him again, put him back to bed, then you go back to bed...barely open your eyes and scream because your 3 year old is inches from your face and you were dead asleep...start the day with a heart attack at 7am.

6. Go see a Pentatonix concert that was planned weeks ago. Then plan your next date night for next year.

7. What color are his eyes again? "Hey hun, can you grab me another diaper?"

8. "Do" my hair (wash all the baby spit up out of it, brush, leave the house, air dry, forget about it until baby spits up again, or pulls a big chunk of hair out)

9. Sunblock the kids constantly, keep sand out of their mouths, eyes, ears...or not...go home and realize you didn't put sunblock on yourself, and get a nice tank top-shaped burn.

10. Relish every moment.

My life looks incredibly different right now, compared to what it was. But I actually have the time to enjoy what I've been blessed with. Some days its extremely hard, and emotionally taxing, but when I let go of the "perfect" life, I start to enjoy my messy one a whole lot more. And if you wanna know a secret...I think a little mess is good for everyone. Lucky for me, I was given a great big portion! :)