on parenting....

I found this article on someone else's blog recently (I have no idea whose blog I stole it from, as I am addicted to blog reading and regularly read 20 or so blogs).


Can you read those tiny little words? I decided to post this today, after much thought about it, because every word of it is true. Especially the whole 'taking 45mins to do what would take the non-kid-havers 15 mins'. And I have the perfect scenario from this morning to back this up--


Usually, I can plop miss Ava down on my bed in front of Super Why and she will stay there and watch TV while I take a quick shower (no leg shaving here! I have to plan that crap now!). Although she usually stays on the bed, I lock the bedroom door and put a full laundry basket (because there's always one of those) in front of the door, just to keep her from wandering the whole house on her own (no telling what I would find her doing).


So, this morning, shortly after I get in the shower, I hear a big bang. I call for her, and she doesn't answer. So, I jump out of the shower, butt-ass nekked, conditioner still in my hair, and I find her standing on the outside of my bedroom door. When she sees me, she takes off running. Of course, I must chase her and return her to the safety of my room while I finish my shower at Mach speed. Of course, she thought it was hilarious. I, on the other hand, did not.


Why am I telling you this? Well, just to show how nothing goes as planned when you have a kid. That you really must do things the hard way, because sometimes that's the only way to do it. That more energy is used for the most mundane tasks, and a lot of times non-kid-havers just don't realize this.


I miss out on a lot with my friends. Sometimes it's because it's not a kid-friendly event, sometimes she's had a bad day and I can't even imagine taking her in public. Not that I don't like my friends, (I do, and I miss them) but sometimes I'd just rather be with my kid. And those of you that don't have kids just won't understand that.


My girl is 21 months and has yet to spend the night away from us. My co workers make fun of me for this. And I'm OK with that. Perhaps I am a little overboard with this, and it may be because I had to wait so long for her. Who knows.


The bottom line is- yes, I miss out on things now that I have a child. But this is NOTHING compared to what I was missing out on before I had a child, I just didn't know it yet. I had no idea how wonderful mommyhood was until I moved into the hood myself.


I love being a mom. I love being Ava's mom. And if that means missing out on other things, taking forever to do simple tasks, and rarely having the time to shave my legs, so be it. I hate shaving anyway.