You've been a parent for years.
You have two kids. Or three. Or one. Or four. Or eight.
You feel like you've been doing this parent thing enough to say that you are firmly in the trenches.
But you still remember what it was like to wake up (or eat...or watch tv...or take a shower...) whenever you felt like it.
Sometimes, you have these "Zach Morris" moments where time stops. You step back and take a look around at this life.
This amazing,
crazy,
messy,
fun,
never-get-a-break,
dishes-to-do,
pick-up-your-socks,
don't-hit-the-cat,
laugh-til-you-drop,
color-me-a-picture,
let's wrestle,
I-love-you-so-much,
beautiful,
beautiful,
beautiful
life.
It's in these moments that the contrast to your pre-parenthood days is most clear.
It's when you notice how different things are.
It's when you realize that this conversation, this place in time, this room...is different.
It's different because your kids are here.
They are here.
They are here and they are living.
They are here and they are learning.
They are here and they are teaching.
Have you ever realized all the noises that surround us everyday? I bet you have if you've ever been the parent of a two-year old. What's that noise? A truck. What's that noise? Another truck. What's that noise? A car. What's that noise? A motorcycle. Fast? Yes, it's going fast. What's that noise? A garbage truck. Trash? Yes, it will pick-up the trash. What's that noise? The dishwasher. Clean? Yes, the dishes are getting clean. What's that noise? What's that noise? What's that noise?
And this goes on.
Every hour.
Every day.
And you love it.
It shakes you out of the dull bubble that you've fallen into. When did you stop hearing the world around you? When did it all turn into this big mish-mashed gob of sound?
You get to experience the world all over again for the first time.
The first time you hold up your head.
The first time you grab a toy.
The first time you smile.
The first time you feel rain on your skin.
The first time you take off your own shoes.
The first time you GO PEE PEE IN THE POTTY!
(which you scream and clap for like HGTV showed up to give you a total home makeover)
The first time you lose a tooth.
The first time you squish yogurt through that hole in your mouth.
So many firsts...
So many smiles...
So many furrowed brows in frustration while figuring out how to do all of these firsts...
So many hugs...
So many kisses...
So much.
Love.
Being a parent is awesome.
