Today I am feeling frazzled. Trying to get too much done in too little time. Frustrated by the constant requests, the constant demands, the constant mess. The hamster wheel that parenting can be sometimes.
I just want a few minutes peace.
I want some time to myself.
I want a bit of personal space.
I want to be able to sit on the sofa, hot cup of coffee in hand and not be a climbing frame.
I want to sleep in a bed by myself without a fidgety child next to me all night.
I want to be able to walk out of the room for a moment and not return to a scene of chaos.
And then I realise that one day those wishes will be granted.
One day I will miss those little arms clinging so tightly around my neck, or holding on to my leg.
One day, I will have peace and quiet and the house will feel empty.
One day I will miss these moments.
I will miss the fact that I am no longer the centre of my child’s world.
I will miss that little person snuggled up close to me.
I will miss the little voice constantly calling for Mummy.
I will miss the little giggles and the shrieks of laughter as my children chase each other around the house.
I will miss the moments of feeling needed.
I will miss bedtime stories and sleepy snuggles.
I will miss those moments of being able to make everything all right just by being there.
I will miss the sticky fingers and the stickier kisses.
I will miss that feeling of being so completely loved just because I am Mummy.
I will look back on the little moments when my children were tiny and wish that I could just replay them again.
Today I am Mummy. I am everything that my children need.
Today I can make my children happy just by being there, just by spending time with them.
Today I will enjoy the snuggles and the cuddles and the precious moments that will pass me by all too soon.
The to-do list can wait. Today we are making memories.
All so true and beautifully put. I have those moments, too, and then I remember, I suspect, that these are the very best of times. Enjoy making memories x
Thank you Jocelyn 🙂
What a beautiful post! Sometimes we forget that childhood can be so fleeting but in among the chaos it can also be overwhelming at times! The days will pass by so fast and you are dead right, we will miss those moments. Thank you for this! A timely reminder! #sharewithme
Thanks Haidee – it is easy to forget about enjoying the little moments in amongst the chaos of parenthood – I am definitely guilty of that!
Why do we do this? I think it must be a grass is greener mentality. Sometimes life would be a little easier if we had a bit of space now and again but when we do we realise how fulfilling our life is! It’s so true that we’ll look back and miss the things we once may have moaned about! Xx #sharewithme
It is easy to have that mentality sometimes though – I know it’s something I often struggle with and stopping to take a moment to reflect on the positives can really help pull me out of it.
Oh this is lovely and SO true! I speak from experience as I have two grown up sons and there was a time when I thought that I was done parenting and I missed all that. Then S happened. 😉
Beautiful post and a reminder to treasure those moments while we have them because one day it will be all slamming doors and “YOU HAVE TOTALLY RUINED MY LIFE” because you accidentally boil washed their new jeans. 😉 X
Thank you – yes, I am sure that there will be plenty of those moments to come! Glad you are enjoying all the little moments again with S.
I love this. And I love the photo of your girls asleep on top of you – perfection 🙂
Thank you – was glad my sister was there to capture that moment! 🙂
Beautifully written and I share the same feelings. Once, when the house was a mess, the kids were screaming and I just wanted some time to myself (most days then…), I said to my husband (who was equally frazzled), ‘Do you think we’ll miss this when they’ve grown and left home?’ He thought about it for a minute then said, ‘I think we will’. But it is hard to appreciate that at times! You’re right, we are making wonderful memories x
Thanks Aimee – definitely agree that it is hard to appreciate it at times, I certainly struggle with it some days!
My baby has flown the nest. I may be a hard mother (I like to think not), but I am not missing those messy stressy bits. I love finding things where I left them, not under strewn socks. I love the peace of not having loud music playing that I have not chosen. I love the clean kitchen after the evening meal has been cooked (even if I am having to do it myself most days). I miss the odd remarks, the pride in watching my child showing the care and compassion to others that we have taught him, discussing politics with a teenager with a freshly opened mind and a passion for the world he lives in and the people in it….. I do miss my child, but I have just learned that it is not in the way I assumed I would.
Cathy, you are most definitely not a hard mother – you have done an amazing job bringing up a son who is independent, polite, friendly, and has so much care, compassion and passion for the world. I quite like the thought of finding things where I left them and less of the messy stressy bits too – I don’t think I will miss walking across the room and treading on Duplo, or putting the DVDs back on the shelf for the umpteenth time either, and I suspect the things I will miss later on may also be the unexpected ones too x
Oh my goodness, your post sums up my life at the moment! I must stop stressing over my never-ending to do list and actually enjoy my kiddos…. I feel like a terrible mum at the moment.
You are a lovely mum Mel – I think we all have times when we stress over the to-do list and forget to enjoy the moments, I know I certainly do! x
Aww! What a lovely post! It is so true too! I have realised this….My girls are getting older the bedtime stories have stopped, I get less cuddles and they need me less….Enjoy it when they are little! They grow up so fast! x
Thanks Kim – it must be hard in many ways when they start growing a little away from you x
Yes exactly! But I would like a teeny tiny little more time to myself now!! 😛
Oh yes, me too! A slightly easier bedtime and a little more time in the evenings so I have more headspace to enjoy the moments during the day!
I’m still breastfeeding my second, and I keep forgetting that soon, when I’m not, me and my partner *might* get a meal out by ourselves!! 🙂
Yes, that is definitely something to look forward to! 🙂
What a lovely post Louise.
And I can so relate to this.
Here’s to making many more memories with our babies 🙂 x
Thank you Jayne, so glad you liked it 🙂
I could easily have written this louise… the first part at least as it is so hard at the moment and Monkey is so demanding. Well done for concentrating on the flipside of the coin, I need to do that more! xx
Thanks Caroline – it is hard to look for the positives when things are challenging – hope things get a little easier for you soon x
Lovely post. It’s easy to forget how fleeting the whole childhood thing is. They’re grown up before you know it. Enjoy those moments while you can!
Thank you – sometimes I just need to remind myself that it is fleeting and to enjoy those moments too! 🙂
Really beautiful post. Sometimes it’s too easy to take things for granted and forget that we won’t have this time in our lives ever again – some days are crazy and chaotic but we wouldn’t change it for the world. Whenever I feel frustrated or frazzled I look at my daughter’s cheeky little face and remind myself how blessed I am. Thanks for sharing #coolmumclub
Thank you – it’s definitely been a week where I’ve needed to remind myself of how lucky I am and how precious those little moments are – so easy to forget in the challenging moments of parenthood.
Ah such a lovely post! Being a mother is a life of extremes isn’t it? One minute feeling overwhelmed with demands and the next feeling overwhelmed with tenderness. We’re approaching our first-first birthday and it’s been on my mind a lot how quickly the time has flown, so your post hit the spot with me. Thanks! #coolmumclub
Thank you – a life of extremes is a very good way of putting it!
This is so lovely, so beautifully put , and so true! Sharing this out on Twitter now #coolmumclub
Thank you Talya and thanks for sharing it too 🙂
This post gave me goosebumps. And that piccie of you and the girls asleep – beautiful! It’s so true we Mums lose our rag, caught up in all the stuff that has to be done (which does have to be done, sadly!). But it’s a wake up call when you snap out of it and realise where you are, who you are to them. Loved reading this, thank you for linking it up to #coolmumclub x Sarah
Thank you Sarah – it is so easy to lose our rag sometimes and I know that I need to stop sometimes and remember how lucky I am and how precious those moments are, and make sure I enjoy them. And yes, the to-do list does still need to be done although some things can wait sometimes. Lovely to link up to #coolmumclub 🙂
Oh Louise, I am so glad I read this today. I really need to stop, slow down and appreciate the little moments. xx #sharewithme
Thank you Katy – glad you enjoyed it x
Such a beautiful post and so very very true. It’s so easy to get caught up in the rush and then we stop and time has just flown by. I am really trying to stop worrying and just being happier and I hope this means I get to discover more magical moments as childhood really doesn’t last forever.
The photo you sat with them both asleep is just gorgeous!
I’ve been feeling exactly the same lately. Motherhood is such a funny thing. I get so impatient sometimes and I have to remind myself that one day it will be over #PoCoLo
This is such a lovely post. It’s funny because I thought I would really miss all of these things and sometimes I still do – but so much has come along to replace them as Grace has got bigger. Thank you so much for linking to #PoCoLo x
Such a lovely post. I’m a very nostalgic person so I know I’ll miss all sorts of things once my kids have grown up. At moment I’m enjoying my toddler as much as I can because I know the adoring love he has for me will change. My six and eight year olds are still very loving but not in quite the same way as the toddler. Once they go to school they do gain a certain independence. Still, as much as I think it’s important to cherish the time we have with them when they’re small, I think we have to acknowledge and then remember (to a certain extent) how hard it is is too. I will always want to look back with joy but also to remember enough about the reality to ensure I can really appreciate the peace and quiet once they’ve flown the nest! xx
Ahh what a beautiful post and so lovely written. Love the photos. Thank you ever so much for linking up to Share With Me. I hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round up and hope you have been enjoying the blog hop. #sharewithme
Oh so beautiful! Similar sentiments to some of the posts I’m currently working on. Love the way you captured your points; so warm and so awwwww …. thanks so much for writing and sharing these. What a reminder to enjoy the moment with our litte one. Indeed, the to-do list can wait, they can’t, they’re growing and we’ll never have the moment again with them! #CommentLuv
Love this, it’s so very true, and actually one of things that blogging has really taught me. It made em stop and take notice and to realise how short lived some of these moments are x
so sweet 🙂