When Mama Just Needs The Simple Things

I lotioned my hands this afternoon. I know, right? Oh the luxury! I couldn’t help it – my skin smelled like dishwater, and even after scrubbing them to the bone, my hands wreaked. I hardly ever lotion my hands, especially after doing dishes – there is always something else vying for my attention (usually very loudly). But today I decided to splurge. And oooh was it good! If you’re not a live-in maid to a series of lovely, messy children, full-time cook for a brood of hungry, picky eaters, on-call psychologist for a seemingly multiple-personality’d diva, commander to the most disorganized and disheveled unit in the world, as well as a loving (albeit sometimes frazzled) wife, then this post won’t make any sense to you. But if you are… relish with me for just a few moments, in the beauty of… {excuse me for just a moment, Little Mr. has just begun requesting his dinner quite forcefully} …the simple things.

I would like to state right off the bat, that this post is not a rant. I love {LOVE} being that crazy, frazzled, exhausted mama who hasn’t showered in days and is missing an earring. No really, I do. But not because I’m a drawn to large amounts of laundry or enjoy self-imposed insomnia. I love my kids. I love being a mom and having kids. And I can’t wait to have more!  However, I also love things from my past life like naps, alone time, silence… some days you just need to have you some silence. So, to make myself feel a little better and to, hopefully, inspire a few tired mama’s to laugh instead of cry at their current situation, I’ve made a list of my top 10 ‘simple’ things that some days I would pay exorbitant amounts of money to have. It’s kind of like searching Pinterest for deliciously sinful desserts while on a diet. Pointless? Yes. Dangerous? Probably. But we still do it and it makes us feel, if only for the moment, like we’re in good company. {Did I take this analogy to far? Because if I lost you, you can find me getting chummy with a piece of red velvet cake.}

<<Off to change an explosive diaper, brb….>>

10. Cleaning by choice. I know this one sounds petty, but do you remember the days when you decided, ‘I’m going to get some good cleaning done today!’ and after a few hours of hard work, you sit back on your pristine furniture to enjoy the cleanliness of your labor. Add kids to this equation? Well, the first part sounds right – clean, clean, clean – but there’s hardly a second that you can relish in your finished product before another mess has sprouted up demanding your immediate attention.

9. Reading a book. Maybe it’s just that my priorities are out of whack, but I have not read more than two consecutive chapters in a book since my first was born, four and a half years ago. And for me, that’s a big deal! I love reading, but there’s something about creating an environment that’s conducive to quiet, concentration-based hobby that’s nearly impossible.

8. Peeing alone. Can I hear an ‘amen’ fellow moms? If you’ve never been interrupted mid-stream then you have no appreciation for the solitude you take for granted every time you go to the bathroom before having kids.

7. 3 Minutes of Uninterrupted…  {excuse me while I go make dinner for my daughter who is sitting on my lap explaining in no uncertain terms that she is dying from starvation…}…Time! It took me 22 hours to resume this post. Need I say more?

6. Eating in peace, with full use of both of my hands. Dinnertime has turned into quite a show at my house, with my 7 month old straining with every fiber of his little being to snatch the fork from my hands, tip the water glass over, or eat my napkin. Every night is a fresh round, with only one final winner. Last night, he claimed the victory as he landed a handful of sweet potatoes.

5. The ability to ‘rush’. There is no such thing in the life of a mama with young kids, and if we ever try to make it happen, mother nature punishes us with accidents, muddy clothes, tantrums, tears, and enough woes to keep us from ever trying it again.

4. Sleeping more than three consecutive hours. And we wonder why we look frazzled? Mama needs her sleep too!

3. Sleeping in. What I would do for just one morning to sleep as long as I want! And to wake up slowly, sweetly, not with a child kicking you or jumping on you or begging for breakfast…. ahh.

2. To have a full conversation without interruption! I’m convinced that my children have a special list of questions, complaints or concerns that are strictly reserved for those few, fleeting moments when mommy and daddy decide to {wait for it} talk! {Gasp!} It’s almost easier to text each other from opposite sides of the room then to try to have coherent, productive conversation some times!

1. To have a few moments ALONE. I’ve found that in my desperation to secure alone time I have greatly compromised it’s integrity. Being ‘alone’ now extends to holding a sleeping child, holding an awake child while they watch TV, driving children, going to the bathroom (while the children knock on the door), or running through Walmart at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon with hundreds of other people to get groceries.Yup, this one definitely tops the list – if you could purchase ‘alone time’ in quantities of 15 minutes I would be saving my pennies. 🙂

But, now that I’ve confessed my deepest, darkest desires and you’ve related to my experiences with mama trials of your own, we can both happily admit what we’re all thinking which is, no matter how hard it is, we wouldn’t dream of trading it. I absolutely adore being a mom, albeit an un-showered, frenzied, late one, and the joy my children bring to my life far outweighs the sacrifices this lifestyle demands. A sweet ‘you’re my favorite, mom’ or gentle touch on the cheek from chubby baby hands is ample payment for the biggest diaper, the longest night, the pickiest eater, and yes, even the non-existence of alone time. It’s the little things that make it worth missing the simple things.

❤ Jasmine

P.S. It took me 40 minutes to proof-read this post, thanks to my lovely helper…

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