Lately I have been feeling like I am at a crossroads in my life. For six years I have been a stay-at-home mom. This Fall, however, my oldest will be starting kindergarten and my youngest will be starting preschool. My oldest is going to half-day kindergarten (which I am a total advocate for!) and my youngest will have preschool two mornings a week.
Do you know what that means? For almost six years I have had my children with me day and night, week days and weekends. Now I will have two mornings a week all to myself? I don't even know what that feels like anymore. I am kind of freaking out about it.
Don't get me wrong, I am so excited. I'm excited for my oldest to go to school. He is such a smart boy and I cannot wait for him to learn more than I can teach him here at home. I am excited for my youngest to get away from me for a bit and learn from someone new. I am excited for myself that I will have 5 hours every week to MYSELF.
But another part of me wants to cry. I mean, these are my babies, and I will be entrusting them into someone else's care. That is so foreign to me because I have always been their caregiver, I have always been the one who takes care of them, helps them learn, teaches them, gives them love. Now they will have someone new in their life.
Sure, I will always be their mom, and they will always love me (I hope), but they will get a crush on their teachers, on other girls in the class, make new friends, etc. And I have to let them grow up. I look back and see how much I have already taken for granted -- how I could have spent a bit more time with them while they were still home full time.
So this summer I am vowing to not worry about my dirty house, the dirty laundry, the spills on the floor, the arguing, and just enjoy my boys. After all, this is the last summer EVER that they will be home before their school journeys begin. This Fall will come quickly and the boys will continue to grow and get older.
My advice to you moms and dads who are just welcoming your first baby, enjoy it. Take life slowly. Your itty bitty baby you are snuggling right now will soon be crawling, walking, talking, heading off to kindergarten, or preschool, or college.
Just enjoy them.
Honestly, the house will never be truly clean, there will always be clutter, and just wash the breakfast dishes with the supper dishes (it's okay!). Enjoy your time with them because it really does fly by. Your grandma was right. Time flies when you're having fun.
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