The way They are wired

Children are the center of our universe. They help us see things from a different height. Until that height is inappropriate for little people.

Yesterday I spent my day pulling my two daughters off the back of a chair when they insisted that that they needed to explore the sounds a window makes when you hit it with your hands. Or how far they could lean over the edge of the piano and still reach the lower keys. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't convince my daughters that trying to climb up the bookshelves in the office was not a good thing, or that using the handle on the oven as a lever pull yourself up the front of it wasn't wise. After several mocking "no's" and mocking slaps on the leg (sometimes in conjunction with the no's), I realized I wasn't getting anywhere, but frustrated.

After several frustrating hours of food throwing, dog hitting, and numerous attempts to climb through the window, I called my mother. I soon learned that, kids are just wired that way.

I am not going to survive 2!

Motherhood --> Womanhood

Today I learned something: being a woman isn't easy. Today I got up, was greeted by my two wonderful girls, kissed my husband and danced to The Wiggles. I later picked up the cluttered, checked to see if there were any crucial emails from work, put my daughter's down for the first nap, sent a couple of emails and got ready for my meeting. After an hour, the girls got up, helped me finish get ready by insisting that their toothbrush had to go into the same drawer mine did, that my nightstand needed to be rearranged by putting the phone somewhere only the pager could fine it and the items in my drawer belonged all over the floor. After 30 minutes of getting them dressed, showing my husband how to do their hair, and prying them off my legs as I tried to grab a pair of socks for shoes that didn't perfectly match my outfit, I left for my meeting. After a too long meeting at work, a quick run to the grocery store for items I forgot over the weekend, I was welcomed home with smiles and "hi"s, my mommy playing with the girls, and a husband ready to go back to work, but patiently and lovingly waiting long enough for me to take a breath.
Like most mom's the rest of the day was basically the same: Naps, Snacks, Work, Phone Calls, Dancing, Laughing, Outings, Playtime, and Bedtime. And if you are lucky, you time.

After today, I can honestly say I have a new perspective on what being a woman is and a new appreciation for single mothers (including my own). A woman, is a woman who can take her crazy out-of-control life, with bills, and animals, and laundry, and children, and so much more and make it work. She might grumble and complain a bit, but in the grand scheme of things, charges on.

A woman is strong, loving, intelligent, hard working, wise, a chef, a homemaker, a lover, a friend, gentle, fair, a mentor, a mother, quiet, emotional, and so much more.

Today, I noticed that I was no longer just a mother enjoying motherhood, but a woman enjoying womanhood. I think I like that better.