Priorities

Today was a long day. Dave left for work at about 6:30am and didn’t return until 7:15pm. Our children both have ear infection and are on antibiotics. There ears are finally feeling better, but unfortunately the antibiotics do a number on their tummies. I changed at least 9 gross diapers today. Nine. Between 2 kids. Along sore tummies their attitudes become sour too. I spent most of the day tending to someone’s fussing or tantrum. I got nothing done today. No cleaning. Barely any cooking. So naturally when I put Eli to bed at 6:30pm I was desperate to get a few things done before Dave got home. I went into the living room to turn on tv for Breena to keep her occupied while I cleaned. She looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said in the sweetest voice “Mommy, hold Breena please”. All of the sudden, I didn’t care that our house was a mess. It didn’t matter that I still had not made my bed, that dishes were piled in the sink, that every dolly we own was sprawled out in my living room. At that moment all that mattered was loving on my baby girl. And so we sat together on the couch watching Blues Clues. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt her heart beating in her chest. I noticed her chest rise & fall, just like I had done for hours on end when she was a baby. When did this 6 pound baby turn into such a big girl? She will be two next week- I can still remember how her breath smelled when she had a belly full of milk. I needed this snuggle time tonight. I needed her to remind me of how quickly she is growing up and that I truly need to take more time to just sit and hold her. My house looks like a disaster- but I am going to bed and for once I don’t care. My children are snuggled tightly in her beds knowing that they are so loved- and at the end of the day that is all that matters.