I am not a sentimental mother.
And that's good because I think you can get lost in that....looking back so much that you don't see what your kids are doing in the present.
People miss their kids being babies....they remember them being small and cuddly and smelling good and smiling.....when I see a baby I acknowledge their smell and cuddlyness....but I also remember they have diapers, they cry, they can't talk, they puke, and they require you to pack a giant bag of anything they may need in the course of an hour anytime you go anywhere.....
I read a blog post about a mom who missed washing her daughter's hair. Not me. Maybe I'm not missing that one since I'm newly able to send them to the shower and scream 52 times from the living room, "Are you done?? Don't forget to use the soap!"
I enjoy the fact that they can use the microwave. I like that they can semi-choose matching clothes to wear if I just really don't want to pick them out. I am glad they can read instructions, and that I can trust them around electrical outlets, and also that I know Story won't go straight for the knives and cut her fingers off if they're putting away dishes. Theoretically they might be able to survive a few days without me!
The other day I made a list....a list, people! They did the things on the list. They cleaned toilet seats and sinks and swept floors. I was free to do laundry....and I started to think, "wow, this motherhood thing may be starting to pay off!!"
I'm not entirely cold hearted. I occassionally have a moment of nostalgia thinking about where they were totally entertained by a few belly tickles and eye contact. And then I ask Ivy to make me a bowl of popcorn and she does so I'm okay being in the present.
