Hello, Monday

Today was a busy day! Due to my lack of concentration, burning desire to spend money, get out of the house and my over-obsessive addiction to Pinterest we ended up taking a field trip to Sherwin-Williams and Hob Lob. Paint and crafts can only mean one thing... This mama's re-do'ing a wall in the house again. So as you can imagine L had a busy day too. Breakfast, play time, story time, ball pit time, then some quick lunch and off to the field trips inspired by friends and Pinterest! As soon as we got home it was nap time for her and time for me to paint (when I really should have napped too).
We had dinner and while I was cleaning up L just wanted to play-play-play! I had a sink full of hot water, hands full of gunk and I just wanted to clean so I could well... have a clean freakin' kitchen.

All of a sudden L wrapped her arms around my leg and said, "I lub you so beary much mama more than the wide world and beary many pieces" and she squeezed so tight. I melted for the millionth time since I have been her mother. I turned off the water, wiped my gunky hands on my pants and scooped her up. She kissed my cheek with a slobbery but warm, soft kiss and squeezed her hands around my neck. She sighed and said, "mama I lub you". I slid down to the floor to cradle her in my arms and have a soft, quiet chat like we always do together. I confessed my guilt for spending time painting and not playing and doing dishes instead of jumping in the ball pit with her. After all, she just wants attention... 24/7.

Sometimes being a mom is rough, as any mother knows. It's difficult to juggle the you time, the play time, the cleaning time, and the everything else time. I always put her needs before mine, always thinking about what's next on the agenda for the day, what's for dinner, what veggies to feed her, how much fiber is in the meals she's eating so she poops right, then I think... did I poop today?, when her undies were changed last?, did she brush her teeth this morning? oh, damnit... did I shower? Is the dog fed, is the floor clean, is the milk in her sippy cup from last night or this morning... sometimes it's too much and can get a little overwhelming. But, then there's little reminders like tonight that I needed to bring me back to mommy-land on earth. The little hands on my leg and the sweet jumbled up words of L expressing her b instead of v "lub you's" to me were enough to make me put the house stuff aside and put the paint away. Most of all, it really made me realize I am doing something right as a mommy.

So now we are lying on the living room floor in a mess of ball-pit balls (because we had to bring the ball pit in the living room of course), she's drawing pictures on my sketch paper I was using for my DIY project in my entry way, and I am blogging... ahhh, sanity... and in a house full of all the lights on, no TV in the background and the pup sleeping... this is all we need. (except wine... we always need wine)!