So thats what its about....

       I have finally discovered what it means to be a parent... "Experiencing all emotional ranges within a 24 hour period".  This may only happen with toddlers, but I am day by day discovering that you can completely experience every emotion in caring for another human being... all the while not being able to act on many of them...
       Take, for instance, the other day.  As I was bringing the laundry out into the garage I noticed an aweful smell surrounding the entire atmosphere, which set the tone for the day. I now found myself in a battle to "find the origin" and rid the world of such stench.  What was discovered was an entire family of dead rats, in the wall... Good times in country living... Being that I don't want my babies around anything that spreads such nausiating disgust, it was now a project of excavation. (leaving all other chores of the day to fade away and left on the inevitable "to do list".   And as I was chipping away at the drywall, my lovely 3 year old was heroically ridding the house of any and all of that evil thing called organization.  Of course, he is also proving to the world that you can be disorganized all while being naked .  So being the "good" mom that I am, I promptly tell him to get dressed and stop rearranging furniture...  Frustration.(and maybe a little giggling).  I proceed in my mission and begin to pull everything out of the garage and sweep all remenents of said rat family from the premises.  Disgust... About 5 minutes later here pops up the child again.  This time wearing footy cars pajamas with the hood of a jacket around his head and the rest of it dangling like a cape behind him.  With a grin from ear to ear he proudly yells "Yeah Mommy, I did it! I get dressed.all by myselff and I dont even need shoes!"  Laughter....  And as if that wasn't enough to convince me of his superhero status, he then starts running through the yard with fists up proclaiming "I AM BATMAN!!"  To be sure, the neighbors have stopped questioning my parenting skills and have learned to just wave and smile towards the chaos of my yard.  At a safe distance...
       We leave to pick up the other boy and come back, all while regaling the 4 year old of how mommy killed all the bad, evil rats. (more laughing)  As they are eating lunch, I take this oppertunity to put everything back into the garage, and when I come in to check on them, I find that they are filling up cups of dirt from the front yard and pooring them into one big lovely pile on my livingroom floor.  Confusion sets in...  And with perfect timing, in walks the daughter.  Relief...  First chore for the poor child - sweep the living room.  (Slight feelings of guilt here, but able to move foreword with out too much regret) 
        Later, after all the children have been sufficiently covered in yard dirt, bath time is a necessity.  As I am cooking dinner (ok, burning), the boys decided to poor out all available bottles of soap, to give them ample amounts of bubbles (at least that's my best guess).  Since I had just bought said bottles of soap, irritation on a new level has arrived.  Mommy needs a 5 minute break.. Seeing the obvious "loose cannon status" of her mother, my wonderful daughter smiles sweetly and says "Its ok mom, you know if you didn't have the boys, my life would be so boring, they bring so much pizzazz to our life".  Appreciation... And Pride... In one comment she has changed my perception of the current scene.  Oh how I love my little girl... Of course that wonderful comment is followed by, "Mom, can I have $50?"  Kinda random, but not out of the ordinary here. 
       After a short food fight during dinner, and by that I mean actual fighting with food, and about 10 repeats of me yelling "eat your vegetables", they all get thier piece of candy and its time for bedtime rituals.  Vitamins givin, pajamas on (and not the cars footy pjs, which may have broken the young boys heart), and with a story read.  (And no, I did not read their first choice of Harry Potter's entire first book, but we did learn that George is still a very curious little monkey).  And right after prayers are said, my 4 year old with OCD, pops up and says "Oh no, we didnt brush teeth!".  Exaustion... So we all get back up and brush teeth.  Which always includes the battle of the step stool and trying understand why we cannot eat the toothpaste, but instead can only brush with it.   Jealsousy... ( I really want to go to bed too!)
       Now that they are in bed, I get all the animals fed, the house picked up, and a quick shower for me and off to bed I go.  But before I go, its time to check on the sleeping babies.  Kid 1,2, and 3 are all tucked nicely in bed, snoring and looking like sweet angels.  Cuddled all up, each one with their blankey, I gently go and kiss them all on their forehead, praying for a goodnight dream.  And as I leave the room, my "Dennis the menace" 4 year old sits up, looks up at me from a dead sleep and says "I love you so much mommy", and then plops his little head back down.  Totally and undeniably.... LOVE.........
        And at the end of the day, that's all we need to give us the strength to get back up tomorrow and do it all over again.... I love you too little man.....
      

Mommy thoughts

They drive you insane,
And test your every emotion
they take whats left of your brain
and you give them all your devotion...

They can make life one big crazy zoo
but then lift your heart up to the sky
when they whisper "I wuv you"
 or cry "Mama" when you wave good bye...

They confound at any given moment,
like making dirt piles in the living room
is off the utmost of importance.

They make you want to pull out your hair,
but will dance with you "like they just dont care"
They change every part of your path
but are the best at making you laugh

Sometimes we can get lost
in the "correct" way to care
on the should do's and have to have's
On the how to's or what it has cost

But the Truth of why we are here
is that its not about us
there is no better career
than what we already posess

A legacy, a future...
we are helping to mature.
Though at times, we want to run away
at the end of the day, we always stay

To watch our little hearts sleeping
so peacefully dreaming,
that when they awake
we remember that none of them are ever a mistake.