There's hope toddler moms

I've written a much longer piece today but due to time and wanting to spend more of it with my kids, I just wanted to pop in and say that....there's hope for those mom's who are hanging with little ones, perhaps at the end of their rope of patience and self-care. I've long waited for the day when my kids were old enough to bathe themselves, understand my angry outbursts (more often I'm upset with myself and not them) and can get my sarcastic humor and nasty jokes. I'm not running for Mom of the Year...and I do not live under the pretense that I'm perfect. What I am is real. I've never liked playing "toys" card games or Candy Land with my kids. Sure, I endured a few things that I knew they enjoyed but truly, honestly, I didn't enjoy it. At all. Motherhood is a blessing. I've loved it deeply and intensely. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a mom and I am glad I started when I was young. Not that I wouldn't have been a good older mom but I wouldn't have had far less energy. Today we had a lovely, simple lunch. I noticed, as my children each took on his/her favorite job in the meal prep that THIS is the age that I've waited for them all to be. I've shed my fair share of tears when I put those baby clothes and toys in totes and even more tears when I look at pictures of them (that I don't even remember taking because I was so tired). But this, THIS is the age that I remember praying and hoping for at 2 am holding a screaming child. Toddler year do pass and poof, before we know it the 14 year old has a gf, the 11 year old has written his first book and the 7 year old is telling me that she'd rather work with wolves than have babies of her own some day! We talk about the places we are traveling to this year, the experiences we are most excited for. They still fight, they are even louder now but they have developed their own wonderful, beautiful, distinct personalities. They are big enough we can head out for an adventure sans 5 bags of accessories and get by on a change of clothes and enough food to keep em happy. We can find music that we all tolerate (sorry Pake, we can't stand that crap you listen to, but we love you anyway!) We talk, we laugh and we hang out.... I know this phase is but a window as well but I certainly intent to enjoy it to the fullest. I've waited a long time for these three to be these ages. It's totally cool that we've all hit our strides, we all have our rhythms and though we are all SO VERY different, we're also pretty darned close. These are my peeps and I couldn't be prouder!