I was just thinking the other day about how many different stages we go through when raising kids. Just when you think things are going really great, they get immunizations and everything goes to hell. The opposite is true too...just when you think things can't get any worse, your twins finally sleep through the night on their 319th day of life! (right, Marie??) We worry about all the milestones...is my child going to roll over on time? Sit up? Eat solids? Switch to whole milk with no problems? How come my kid can't put a puzzle together? When did your kids know their colors? I could go on and on and on and on. I am by no means a "seasoned" parent, but as each day goes by, I feel less and less stressed about these things and more and more confident that they will one day know their colors (probably in 6 different languages too) and things will be just fine.
Anyway...I was thinking about the stages we've been through and the ones we're at now, so I decided to write some down. Chris is laying on the couch yelling some of these at me, so I can't take all the credit.
1. We are no longer in the changing 2 kids' diapers all day long stage, but now we are in the stage where you better make sure both kids go potty before we walk out of the house and locate the public restrooms before doing anything else at each and every place we venture to.
2. We are no longer in the stage where the kids are getting up at night...err...wait. we're still in that stage most nights. It's for different reasons now, but it's still happening.....:(
3. We are no longer in the stage where I have a daughter who is completely bald...now we are in the stage where I just wish she'd leave her pony tails or barrettes in all day long!!
4. We are no longer in a stage where we worry so much about who is watching our babies and now we worry that the kids are nice to the babysitters so they'll want to come back!
5. We are no longer in a stage where we worry that they won't ever talk. Now we worry that they won't ever stop!
6. We no longer in the stage where we rush to our children when they are crying. Now we are in the stage where we first ask ourselves if they are manipulating us!
7. We are no longer in the stage where we worry about whether our kids will be adventurous human beings, try new things, etc. Now we worry that our daughter has no fear and will do another super fly off the arm of the couch straight into the back of the other couch!
8. We are no longer in a stage where we are scared shitless to drive in the car to Minneapolis for Thanksgiving for fear we will have to stop at a hotel halfway due to some crazy screaming fit. Now we are in the stage where we worry our kids won't agree on the DVD or worse yet, WE will memorize the words!
9. We are no longer in the stage where we have to bounce our kids in the bathroom with their ears up next to running water in order to get them to sleep. Now we are in the stage where we wish all it took was some running water!!
10. We are no longer in the stage where we go through 2 or 3 pairs of pajamas per day because they pee through. Now we are in the stage where they go through 2 or 3 pairs of pajamas per day because they think changing clothes is such a blast!!
11. We are no longer in the stage where we have to carefully monitor the number of ounces our babies drink for fear that they will not be the right percentage at their next well child visit. Now we are in the stage where we have to monitor the number of ounces they drink for fear that they will pee the bed!
12. We are no longer in the stage where I have to watch very carefully that they don't put anything in their mouths, but now it's the stage where I have to watch very carefully what comes out of my mouth!
How about you?? Any stages you'd rather go back to than deal with the ones you're in now??
3 comments:
As usual Beth, I loved your post. What a great idea and we're right there with you being out of some stages and onto the others (we're not fully out of diapers just yet though). You'll love looking back on this post in years to come. Kelly
I'm going to go off the deep-end here and say that I occasionally miss the diaper stage...not the cost, or the sickness of them, but seriously, I really wish they could just pee or poop in their pants sometimes while we are out or in the middle of the night. :) Love the stages--there is always a STAGE, isn't there?!
Your post is soooo right-on! We were just talking about how we miss that old "chill in the bouncy seat" stage. We have entered the "let's climb on everything stage".
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