Please excuse the Mess

Some homes try to hide the fact that children shelter there,

Ours boasts of it quite openly, the signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows, little smudges on the door.

I should apologize, I guess, for the toys strewn on the floor.

But I sat down with my children, we played, and laughed, and read.

And if the doorbell doesn't shine, their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose, the one job or the other,

I'd like to cook, and clean, and scrub,

but I'm too busy being a mother.

I was sitting in the midst of our daily the mess and was about to lose my mind, but as I sat and looked at all the "things" and messes everywhere, it occurred to me that all the things that were driving me crazy, where little signs of all the things I love. And as much as I wished my house was sparkly clean every moment of the day, I want to stop time, slow the clock, and savor the moments of my little guys. Because sooner than I would like, all the messes will be gone, and the little things lying about everywhere won't be here. So I thought I would cherish the moment and look around at the little signs that make me so happy to be a mother.

I posted this little note over the doorbell the week that Baby Brother was born. It has now stayed up there a year. I love to think of him all sweet and snuggly in his bed when he was teeny tiny. If you ever see him you probably think, "was he ever teeny tiny?" But I don't know when I will ever take it down...

We are Toy Story central around here, and we have just about every Buzz Lightyear and Woody toy imaginable. But I love to see them. When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with Barbies. And it kind of makes me happy to see something that Jman loves so much. He plays with them everyday. And I know these will be things that will be special to him tomorrow.

This is one of Daddy's biggest pet peeves, but one of my favorite things. We have 14 throw pillows on our bed, yep, fourteen! And for those of you who know me you probably think this is ridiculous given the fact that I make my bed probably about 10 times a year. I should put the pillows away. But Jman and Baby Brother love to jump and play on them. They can do it for hours. So even though they are always strung around the room, its okay with me. Because the little sounds of laughter that come along with the mess is fine by me.

Some people keep their under-roos in their dressers, we keep ours in the step stool in the bathroom. This was an executive decision on the Jman's part. And it always makes me giggle because even though we always put them in their rightful place, they always make their way back into here.

Every morning the Jman and I brush our teeth together. And usually Baby Brother is at our feet trying to turn on the tub, splash in the toilet, or get into some other sort of trouble. I am not looking forward to the days of lonely teeth brushing and uninterrupted getting ready.

More Toy Story...I find this little cup everywhere.

How can we have a shower with out some toys...you never know when you need to play some basketball while you shower. One of my favorite things about Jman is that we will put him in the shower and he will play in there forever. Like hours, and sing and play ball and do all sorts of fun stuff. He cracks me up...

We had to find a new home for soap because the animals needed a cave.

Cheerios...oh the cheerios. No matter how many I pick up I still find these everywhere in the most random places. I will miss the picking up after this little baby mess maker.

Pretty soon our baby food days will be gone. Baby Brother is almost grown out of the baby food. We better have another baby to enjoy all the funny faces that come with experiencing new tastes for the first time...

No matter how many times we designate a spot for shoes, I find them everywhere. Pretty sure he gets that from me...I leave mine all over the place too. I will miss the pitter patter of little feet.

Artwork, magnets, and whatever else makes it way to the fridge...it only lasts so long. So I won't complain about all the finger prints that come along with it.

A tiny backpack a little jacket. He is still only in preschool but so soon he will be off to big boy school, then college...I hate that. Can't they stay little forever?

The finger prints, the food, its always somewhere. No matter how much we scrub and clean, there is always a new mess to be made and cleaned up. But I need to enjoy the moment, and the lunches spent talking about school and games and whatever else they come up with.

One of my favorite things...the random placement of objects, they get this from their Daddy. I think these crackers were supposed to be picked up so Baby Brother couldn't reach them. So why not put them in the boots. Works for me...I will miss all the little surprises that I find all over the place, just a little sign, a little mark, made by my sweet boys.

Oh how I love being their mother...