I Have Learned.......

As a mom I have learned so many things. I have learned that you can't find all the answers in a book, schedules never really go as planned, and time goes by way too fast. I have learned that the floor is meant to be flooded, the new nic nacs are meant to be played with and the hand soap will end up all over the window sill and carpeting. (where else!?!) I have learned that food that is supposed to be hot doesn't really taste that bad cold, that make-up isn't really necessary before leaving the house and that a shower is definitely a luxury.

I have learned that I can change a diaper, make a bed, do the dishes and laundry and even paint a room with one hand while nursing an infant. I have learned that my kids will get sick every time we have established a sleep schedule or when we have big plans. I have learned that trips to the emergency room at one a.m. are inevitable and that maybe I do worry too much. maybe.
I have learned that my husband is my best friend and my biggest supporter and becomes more of both with each passing day..........even if he doesn't remember to change the empty toilet paper roll.

I have learned that my kids don't have to be clean to be cute and that they will live if I don't give them a bath every night. I have learned that I need to find balance instead of perfection and not get my feathers ruffled when things don't go smoothly. I have learned to be a more cautious driver, pay more attention to strangers when we are out and about and have become more aware of just how dangerous the world can be.

I have learned that as soon as you buy them that long awaited toy that they will be into something else entirely and that shoes will be outgrown within a month. I have learned that little ears hear everything- even from a big distance.

I have learned that I can make mistakes, get frustrated and even cry in front of my children and they will not only still love me but that they are learning from me and my emotions and how to deal with their own . I have learned that a band aid (or ten) can make any boo boo feel better if it has Diego, Dora, or Blues Clues on it and that Monsters really do live under beds.

I have learned that spills happen- and are expected, markers will become body paint and coffee filters make great art project materials when you are out of paper.

I have learned to always pack more for an outing than I know I am going to need because the time I forget the extra outfit is the time I'm going to need it and that toilets can flush a lot more toilet paper than you might think.

I have learned that the phone will ring or the kids will scream as soon as I get the baby to sleep.....or that the baby will cry as soon as I get to sleep. I have learned that it's okay to feed my family instant mashed potatoes or other prepared foods and that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are okay to serve for dinner...........sometimes.

I have learned that my home doesn't have to look like a magazine to be a beautiful place to be in and that the hallway can be a perfect place for the kids to ride their bikes.

I have learned that I fear death more- not because of death itself but for fear of leaving my children without a mother. I have learned to think more and plan more for their futures as well as my own. I have learned that I am a lot stronger than I ever thought and that I will do anything to protect my children. I have learned that I can be having the worst day- and with just one hug or one smile from my kids- all the negative can disappear.

But the one thing that I have learned that outweighs all else? I have learned that I LOVE being a mom! I really believe that this is my calling.............this is what I was born to do.

~Heather :)