Summertime Mamahood

Vacations and camping,

pools and fireworks,
picnics and sweaty kids….
Summer is here!

As Mamas we are ready for summer to begin
and thankful when school starts!
I have been known to dance and sing when the school bus arrives.
Having kids off school for the summer also lets you know what you are made of.
I have an independent toddler and a pre-teen (entering 2nd toddlerhood)
who will be keeping me quite busy this summer.Before I became a Mama,
I got to sit and eat leisurely meals,
sip coffee,
and read a good book for hours if I was so inclined.
Before I became a Mama
my clothing was stain free
and I got to talk on the phone- for more than 5 minutes at time.
Before I became a Mama I got to stay up late and sleep in as late as my heart desired.
Before I became a Mama I got to take long hot showers
and spend hours getting ready to go out.
Now I am lucky enough to wear the Mama ponytail!
Before I became a Mama,
I hadn’t been
peed on,
pooped on,
spit on,
chewed on,
or had the skin under my arms pinched by little fingers.
Before I became a Mama,
I never had to hold down my little ones while the doc gave them shots to keep them well-
and cry right along with them.
I never knew what it felt like to have my heart hurt when I could’nt stop their pain.
I didn’t know what it felt like to look into little crying eyes
and feel the tears streaming down my own face.
I never knew what it felt like to see that first smile,
cheer for that first crawl,
and cry with joy at that first step.
Soon our lives will be filled with more firsts as our oldest starts 5th grade.
Boys, ugh.Before I became a Mama,
I never held a sleeping toddler for two hours
simply because I didn’t want to put her down-
I wanted to cuddle her and smell her hair, knowing she’d be up and running in minutes.
I now know love at first sight.
I now understand how someone so small can change my life in every way.
I now understand how it feels to love someone so much my heart hurts.
Before I became a Mama I didn’t know I was capable of so much
joy,
strength,
and wonderment.
Being a Mama has taught me so much about myself-
a never ending lesson in humility,
selflessness,
and heartache.
We love them with every fiber of our beings
and cry with them as we give them their wings to fly.

I plan on using this summer to help my daughters add feathers to their wings.
I keep reminding myself as stress creeps up,
my nerves fray,
and my body aches
that each day is a gift with my girls and to treat it as such.Have a wonderful summer dear friends,
I hope to have many Half-Pint adventures to share with you!