May you stay forever young

"May God Bless and keep you always, May your wishes all come true, May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung, May you stay forever young."  Bob Dylan

I have to admit this- I DO NOT LIKE TO BLOG.  Even as I am typing I am thinking of the 100 others things I should be doing while both kids are napping upstairs, but I started this blog as a journal for our family and I am determined to keep it up to date!  In this technology savvy world our children are being raised in I am hoping that one day they will search the www (assuming we still have one!) and look back at the posts and read the stories I have written and see the pictures of them growing up (because who has time to print pictures out and put them in albums any more?). 


It's summer time and we are only one month in and the summer craze is starting to settle in.  Trying to keep up with a 3 1/2 year old and almost 2 year old is exhausting most days! We go to the neighborhood pool, YMCA splash park, book store, Nature Museum, play dates with friends, ride bikes around the neighborhood, run naked in the back yard sprinklers (not mama of course) eat popsicles sometimes before dinner and we just play.  I am definetly in the "thick of it" as they say with the kids. Some days are so draining that I go to bed wondering if I'll have the strength to do it all over again in less than 9 hours.  I ask my mother all the time "do you remember me doing this when I was a child" and her response is always the same "I just don't remember". I think there is a special part of your mommy brain that blocks out the hard and trying times to make room to remember all the great moments.  I am really making an effort to try and just be in the moment with my kids because while they may have me pulling my hair out at times (Graham Meyer I know you won't go to first grade wearing a pull up but for the love, please stinky in the potty already!) they also can make me laugh and smile like nothing else in the world can.

Our daily routine is as follows:
6:30am- Aydens alarm goes off. We both lie there pretending it isn't and try to sneak in a cuddle before...
6:45- In walks Graham, hands full of so many lovies he can hardly see. He jumps into bed with us, climbs under the covers and then says "Mama I'm hungry". I splash water on my face and I am ready :-)
7- AH is also awake now but happily plays in her crib until I get her.  Kids are both downstairs, breakfast is being made while daddy showers for work. 
7:15- daddy gives us all kisses and heads off to work and then the day begins.
***The next 5 or 6 hours are filled with the sounds of playing, then arguing, LOTS of arguing, playing more, snacking, activities, lunch time, potty breaks and potty battles (No 2's are going to be the death of me) and then, AHHHHHHH- nap time/quiet time at 1pm. 
1:00pm- Mama spends the next 2 or so hours trying to catch up on ALL the things I can't do while the kids are awake such as laundry, emails, phone calls, etc.
3:30- Kids are up, snack then play time outdoors.
5:30- daddy walks in the door (que mama pouring herself a glass of wine!) and dinner is served. Chicken nuggets and mac n' cheese anyone?
7:30- Bath time.  Kids get their pjs on then start the nightly routine of "chase" where they chase each other around the house screaming and laughing.
8:00- read books then bed (AH now cries to go to sleep now for 20 minutes or so and Graham gets in and out of bed a few times.
8:30- we eat dinner- Stouffers anyone? Kidding, sort of...
9:00- Graham is still rolling around and playing in his bed, mama takes a shower (no chance to do that during the day anymore) Daddy catches up on his TV shows
10:00- mama's head hits the pillow....zzzz

Pretty exhausting, but honestly- I WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING.  I am so fortunate to have a supportive husband who works hard so that I can enjoy all the little moments with our kids. I know the days are long but they are growing up so fast and I don't want to miss a thing.