3rd Birthday

I think tonight was the hardest night before a birthday…

I talked with a coworker earlier today and she said she cried the night before her child turned 3 and I thought “well that’s silly! The first birthday was the biggest!”

& then tonight happened.

We ate tacos as a family, stayed up late watching what they wanted and then tucked them in.

I sat down with each of them and explained that tonight they go to bed as 2 year olds and tomorrow they will wake up 3.

& they understood.

I think that’s the difference between the first and second birthday..

Yes, those birthdays are big and life changing but 3…

Now they understand.

They are excited.

& you see the last 3 years pass before your eyes.

My babies are no longer babies.

They are two very independent, loving, crazy and sometimes frustrating 3 year olds.

They love both mom and dad more than life.

They could not live without their baby brother or their puppy.

& their bond is incredible.

Yes, Holden may have asked if him and Riley could not share a birthday but that’s also the beauty of this age!

He knows that they share everything, even a birthday

& he’s old enough to tell us his concerns.

He loves his sister the most

but heck, I don’t think I’d always want to share either.

So tonight was hard.

I’m going to bed with two 2 year olds (& a 1.5 year old) and waking up with 3 year olds.

I’m not sure where these last 3 years went but I’m so glad they chose me to be their mom. ❤️

Always watching

They are always watching.

& lately I have been seeing it first hand multiple times a day with my 2 year olds.

But today hit hard.

If you don’t know me or haven’t read some of my other blog posts, I am a type 1 diabetic.

I check my blood sugars 2-4 times a day.

& today, my daughter took my meter and put her finger up to it like she was testing her blood sugar. (I pray to god she never has to do it in real life)

It was eye opening.

They are always watching.

& in our current state of our nation, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to look at what we are teaching our kids.

Please make sure you’re teaching them the best. Because I know I’m trying.

Words of Advice

As a mother of three who works full-time and is currently in school for my bachelors, I have some words of advice for you college age kids.

Get a bachelors degree – I don’t care what it’s in, it will help you in the long run
Travel – if you are financially able, travel the world before you settle down and have kids or at least pick a school away from your family/state
Try new things – skydive, swim with the dolphins, snorkel, parasail, join a sport or anything on your bucket list
Do all of the “teenager” stuff – party, have sex (protected), spend time with your friends, have roommates
Enjoy the outdoors – camp, go to the lake, hike, fish, boat on the river

Just enjoy life.

Don’t get so caught up in school, work, life that you don’t have fun.

Because trust me, once you settle down and build a family, you won’t have time.

Parenting comes first. Your husband/wife comes first. Your work will come first.

So go do it now while you have time.

Because I wish I would have.

(& don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my life but I do wish I would have seen the world, done more and had more fun while I could)