Ok, I seriously have the worst.cold.EVER. It is kicking my butt, so I am slacking. I wrote this post as a guest post for Arianne’s blog, To Think is To Create. She published it on Monday, but if you didn’t get the chance to read it then, here it is. Hope you enjoy!
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When I was pregnant, I truly had no idea how my life would change when I became a mother. My head knew things would be different, but in terms of putting it into practice, I had no idea what I was in for. No idea that with a baby, toddler, or both in tow, even a simple trip to the store would be, well, inconvenient. (Since I found being pregnant rather inconvenient as well, you’d think I would have clued in earlier, but what can I say? I learn by doing.)
Come to think of it, childbirth was rather inconvenient as well. But of course, being Mommy to those two babies of mine is worth every inconvenience in the motherhood accessory package.
I was reminded of this when I returned from the grocery store one evening last week (having left my hubby with the kids) and my two-year-old daughter, Sophie, exclaimed “MommyMommyMommy!’ as she ran over and gleefully attached herself to me. I set down the groceries, but I had more to bring in, and my hubs wasn’t feeling well so I wasn’t about to send him out in the cold to do it. I gave Sophie a hug and said in my best ‘this-is-good-news voice’, “I’ve got to get the rest of the groceries, baby, I’ll be right back. Right back!”
Sophie wasn’t buying it. “No-oh-oh!” she cried as big tears ran down her cheeks. I stood up but she tightened her grip around my legs, wailing brokenheartedly.
I attempted to detach her. “Right back, honey.”
More tears. The saddest face I’d ever seen.
I sighed, then scooped down and picked her up. Together we went back out and got the rest of the groceries.
Carrying a two-year-old while you’re also carrying in a week’s worth of groceries? Inconvenient.
Your two-year-old loving you so much that she can’t wait sixty seconds while you run out to your car? Precious.
Carrying Sophie and a million grocery bags at the same time, I decided to just savor the precious inconvenience. Because one day, when I’m not the object of her affection, and when it’s not her heart’s desire just to be with me? I imagine I’ll find that rather inconvenient as well.
praying for you!!!!!!
I hope you feel better! I love your post. Sometimes when I have three kids, two dogs, a cat and husband all piled on our bed watching a movie, I look around and realize how blessed I am and that this will not last forever. It makes the fact that I am barely sitting on the edge and if I breath too hard I will fall off worth it!
You know what’s great? When they are old enough that you can pull up in the drive way and honk the horn, and then the kids come out and THEY carry in the groceries!!! Ahhh…the sole purpose of teenagers! lol
I hope you get to feeling better quickly.
Your post is another great reminder for me to remember to have an “big picture” mentality, especially in moments of frusteration. They do grow up so fast. And yes, that might even be the saddest face I’ve ever seen, too.
I’ve been meaning to tell you this, but I keep forgetting: you must read Naptime is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. It’s hilarious. Her writing style REALLY reminds me of yours and I think you’d get a kick out of it!
Uh, sorry, I think I gave you my cold from 3 (ish) states away. It’s been a week for me, so you have some time ahead of you.
This is honestly the worst cold I have ever had. I am sending DH to the doctor today because I think his may have become pneumonia.
What a wonderful post! I’m sitting here reading blogs today cuz I don’t feel so good, either. Hope you feel better soon.
Hope you feel better soon! Being a mother is so VERY inconvenient! But worth it. So VERY worth it.
I hid from kids last night (hiding = laying down in my bed with the covers over my head in the dark). My husband was about to be gone for the weekend and I just wanted a few moments of solitude while he was still home and could parent for me. I hadn’t been in there long when my son started crying, “Where’s Mommy? I want my Mommy!”. You can’t really ignore that because like you said, how much longer is he going to want me around? I’ll savor it now. So I stopped hiding and went to his room to hang with him until bedtime.
That was a very sweet, very timely reminder. Thank you! I hope your cold goes away soon.
I often forget how precious the inconveniences are. Thank you so much for sharing this reminder. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and cuddle my bigger baby, who just inconveniently spilled juice on the floor. 🙂
Ha! Same thing happened to me the other night… only Hubz wasn’t sick, he was pretending he didn’t hear her screams or see her attached to my leg 🙂
After I got all the groceries in, I took pics of her putting away yogurt. A very precious inconvenience.
Aw Jenny – I love this post, so very much.
I hope I can remember this the next time I’m trying to carry my little one and the groceries. Sometimes I seem to forget how precious he is during all that screaming, lol!
I always try to remember that my DD 2.5yo is going to grow up way too fast. Its easy to get frustrated with her, but the best things in life are not often “easy”. She is my heart and soul as I’m sure many of you share that feeling…