Sunday, May 10, 2009

Things I will and will NOT miss...

I was thinking about a song by Trace Adkins yesterday entitled, You're Gonna Miss This. It's about not taking for granted the experiences you're having now in the hopes of things being better in the future, especially when it comes to your children.

I've been told so often I can't begin to count the number of times, (usually amidst my complaining) that I should love every minute of being a mother because "they just grow up too fast." Well, as much as I would like to think that's absolutely true, I've discovered that there are some things that I absolutely WILL NOT miss (this list is obviously not all inclusive):



1. Climbing into a crumb-filled bed where someone has decided it's the only "safe" place to consume their pirated loot without anyone finding out.

2. Discovering that the slimy mess I feel squishing through my toes is actually banana that someone has dropped and LEFT on the floor for me to smush into the rug, and consequently add to my list of things I have to clean up. (I know, I should be grateful it's just a banana.)

3. Struggling to bend over my protruding belly for the fifteenth time to pick up a pair of dirty socks left on the floor, only to hear (in the whiniest voice possible), "Mom! I can't find my socks!" approximately 30 seconds later.

4. Having my newly potty-trained 3-year-old decide that stopping to come inside to use the toilet is just too inconvenient, and that continuing to play in soiled pants is perfecty acceptable, and is actually not too uncomfortable.

5. Trying to convince said 3-year-old that the sacrament is not a MEAL and that she can only take ONE piece of bread--preferrably the first one she touches...

6. Everything about being pregnant.

7. Repeating myself.

8. Changing up the back, out the legs, in the hair, on the floor, on my pants, blowout diapers.

9. Being told one night that I'm the greatest cook in the world and the next night being asked why I can't cook like The Burger King.

10. WHINING--need I say more?


Just to make sure this is a fair and balanced post, I'm perfectly aware that there are things I will deeply miss, and some that I already do. Again, a list that is NOT all inclusive:


1. Words. Tortiyaya=tortilla; ashleyes=eyelashes; pizzzpa=pizza; lasterday=yesterday; menember=remember.

2. Little arms wrapping around my neck to give me a hug for no apparent reason.

3. After putting make up on and getting my hair done for church (usually the only day it happens...), having the girls look at me with wide eyes, saying, "Mom! What happened to you? You look beautiful!"

4. Listening to them sing "I Want to Be Kind" to each other after they get in trouble for fighting, then watching them hug and run off playing together as if nothing had happened.

5. Hearing them include in their prayers a plea that the cat won't get eaten by anything while she stays outside for the night.

6. Their first time reading a book by themselves.

7. Their knock-knock jokes that make no sense, but that they laugh hysterically at themselves for coming up with.

8. Holding a sad or discouraged child in my arms, knowing that soon I won't be their first choice for consolation.

9. Having the girls fight over who gets to kneel by me for family prayer, or sit next to me during sacrament meeting, or be on my team for playing games...ok, they'll always fight to be on my team--everyone does.

10. Hearing, "Good Night, I love you!" every night.


All-in-all, I love being a mom. I'm completely aware that I don't even understand most of what I will miss about having my little ones around me. I try to think about that when I'm trying to avoid stepping on them as they "help" in the kitchen, or when they defiantly tell me "no" for the 112th time that day.

I have three things to say to my mom in light of my experiences in mommydom so far:

1. I'm sorry!
2. I appreciate you!
3. I love you!

I think that about covers it....

3 comments:

Fiddlefish said...

Loved this post. Loved it.

heather said...

So can relate to the squishy bananas!

Unknown said...

My husband and I were just having this same conversation - after having kicked my almost 3 year old out of our bed for the 3rd time that night. I can relate to just about everything on both lists, except my kids want to eat at "The Dinner Store" more commonly known as McDonalds.