phases

In less than a week I will have been doing this 'mom-thing' for two years (TWO years!). And the best piece of advice I ever received when pregnant with Jackson still holds true today: every thing with children is a stage... and every stage passes by quickly (for better or for worse). 

Those nights of peanut parties every few hours? They're (mostly) gone. Those days where Jackson wanted me to cuddle him every minute? They're totally gone. Those evenings when Audrey would lay with Dan and cuddle on the couch? He would sadly tell you they are now rare. Those nights when Jackson asks me to lay with him at bed time for "5 more minutes?" Well, they're still here, but I'm sure they'll be gone way too soon. 

And so I remember that these moments are just that: moments. Some that I so badly want to freeze and hold onto forever and some where I find myself holding my breath while I dig deep into my inner backup pockets of patience. 


I remember when Audrey is laying on my chest with her little fingers wrapped around mine and when she decides that 11:30 at night is indeed her most favorite time to come more alive than she has been all day. 

I remember when I ask Jackson what the letter "J" stands for and he replies with "me and Jesus" and I remind myself (over and over) when his nap strike is going on day #7. 

The good, the bad and the amazing of parenthood weaves in and out through every hour of every day. I imagine that it will be that way forever and I imagine that the good and the amazing will always far outweigh the bad. 

And this week has been proof of that. I have had so much fun watching Jackson play with his friends, interacting like mini little men. We have had amazing un-winter-like weather that we have taken full advantage of with adventures outside, but we've also had a lot of trips to time-out, a lot of of boundary-testing and lot of grumpy infant time that Audrey insisted only I could cure. 

But it's all good. No, it's all great. Maybe not in those moments when things are a little out of control, but those pass quickly if you let them. If you refuse to hold on to the frustration they can bring. Just let it roll.

Weeks like this are going to make going back to work hard. We're really starting to hit our groove, the three of us. We're turning into a little trio of adventure-seeking-buddies. And we're loving it. 

Now, if only I could figure out how to end this nap-strike...