There you are, a new mom. You’ve got a squishy, perfect baby in your arms. You smell their head and snap a million and one photos. “Time is fleeting. Enjoy them while they’re little.” This phrase is one you hear so frequently. As I sit here now, with a pre-teen and a newborn, (and practically every age in between..) it hit me.. Enjoy them while they’re little because…
All too soon that sweet baby smell you loved so much is gone. What remains is sweat. Yep. Sweat. Trust me, you won’t be leaning in to take a deep breath of that. You’ll spend your time at the grocery store looking for any and every air freshener or deodorizer (I recommend Fresh Wave !!), you become fond of candles, you research which laundry detergent is best at odor removal, you suddenly realize why your grandmother has a love of potpourri, and you leave presents of deodorant and bath soap around the house just hoping they find it.
The adorable clothes? Replaced with screen print tees, hoodies, and run down athletic shoes. (Those also smell.. Did I mention Fresh Wave? They have little odor absorbing packets to put in shoes!) They might cave and let you pick out an outfit for family photos.. But I assure you, more than once you will receive raised brows, tantrums, and eyes rolls. “MOM! Seriously? Why can’t I wear my tennis shoes?” Enjoy your matching outfits now, it doesn’t last forever..
Mealtime. The days of gourmet baby food are gone. One day you’re dicing organic fruits and veggies, throwing them in the baby bullet, freezing them in organized ice cube trays, so pleased with your dietary rainbow. Suddenly, they’re eating you out of house and home.. But! Only if it’s on their list of currently approved, ever-changing, this-better-not-be-vegetables, foods. Preferably fried..
Toys. Oh the toys. You used to have cute little stuffed animals and shape sorters. Eventually they’d get into dolls and Legos.. Then all too quickly, it takes a sharp turn. “Toys? We don’t want toys! We want tablets, laptops, phones, drones, and cameras.” I’m fortunate that my boys like books as well, but that doesn’t mitigate their desire for all things tech.
Their rooms. Once a sweet nursery you spent months planning, organizing, and decorating.. It’s now the forbidden land of deceased toys and laundry. Sometimes, I question where all the stuff came from? I could not possibly have allowed that much *stuff* to accumulate, could I? Don’t think you can just clean it up, though. I mean, it’s “organized chaos” to them — and heaven forbid you want to throw anything away.
Time is fleeting, moms. Enjoy them while they’re (letting you dress them, smelling good, easy to clean up after, and content playing with boxes) little.