Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Training Wheels

We were at the park today and my kids were shoeless, playing in dirt. They were filthy, but being curious and enjoying play. 
Throwing leaves in to a storm drain.
Some mom friends were "oohing and ahing" that I  could just let my kids play in the dirt. 


And that I let the baby play in the grass. 

  
And "OH MY! HOMESCHOOLING? Don't you need a break from them? How do you clean the house? When do you sleep?" 


The mom friends each only had one child, but were both pregnant with their second. They were "amazed" at how I could wrangle three boys. They kept asking "how I do it all." We are all Navy wives, so I was telling them that if they've done it (TV time, kids sleeping with me [with toes stuck in my face], the extra treats, etc) while the husband is away, chances are I have too! I don't know if they believed me...

Which got me thinking: am I actually doing that good of a job? Am I actually "doing it" with three kids?

Really? 

It wasn't long ago I found out I was pregnant with Deacon and PANICING. Literally, heaving/sobbing so hard John thought I was a crazy woman. 

I used to BADGER a friend with questions: "How do you...? When do you...? Who do you feed first? What happens when they all cry? What do you do when your husband leaves you alone [for weeks and weeks and weeks]?" 

Now people are asking ME questions? 

The training wheels are off? What?


2 comments:

Mike and Cicely said...

Love this post, Nellie. We all do the best we can, but you just seem to do it so much more gracefully! :) Love ya, girl!

Berenice said...

You know you do a great job because despite the lack of sleep and sometimes patience the kids are doing exactly what kids do. You let them get dirty and explore, you allow them to be themselves (within reason) and you manage to feed them, bathe them, and be the emotional support they need. I am truly inspired because I feel your pain and I have one less than you do...LOL Keep on trekkin' woman!