Take the Trip

If you are a parent, you know how much work it is to take a trip with kids.

Especially three kids under the age of 4!

But it’s always worth it!

Whenever my kids bring up a memory, it’s ALWAYS those hard trips.

It’s not sitting at home.

It’s not playing outside.

Yes, they also have fun at those places, but those don’t stand out to them.

That’s “every day life” for them even if it’s not for us.

But instead it’s the trips that take days to prepare for.

The ones that take multiple bags, multiple plans & ALL of the patience from mom & dad are the ones they bring up continuously.

& that is exactly why I want to do more of them.

Not because I love being stressed out or packing or not getting anything done at home.

But because I love when they replay the memories to us after.

My kids have flown, drove across state lines, camped and so much more.

& I cannot wait to do even more with them!

Like everyone says, “they are only little once”.

Take the trip.

Kids + Fighting

Today was a day…

Had friends over and our children would not stop fighting, crying, screaming, yelling, you name it. It was embarrassing.

So you could tell they were definitely over tired.

But then they napped.

For hours I might add.

& STILL WOKE UP CRANKY!

(Okay, I’ll give them an hour before they got cranky again)

But then all hell broke loose again.

Fighting over toys, not listening, picking on their baby brother, yelling at mom…

It’s been a day.

One of those days where you are exhausted emotionally..

& then this happens 👇🏻

Like seriously?!

Parenting is hard.

But dang they are cute!

(Especially when they are behaving 😉)

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. ❤️