Once upon a time, I was a happy go lucky early twenty-something singleton. Life was suddenly turned upside down when I found myself the single mother of an 8lb 5oz bouncing baby boy, Tyler. My family and I always joked that it took a village to care for and raise Tyler. Even though I made every effort to take care of us myself, I am extremely grateful for all the help of my parents and family. And as we made our way through the world together, a team, I began to hope that someday I would find a man who would love my son as much as he would love me. Looking far and wide, I couldn't find that person so I made peace with a life for just the two of us.
It's funny how life works. No one was more surprised than I to find the love of my life, literally in my back yard. An old family friend whom I had known since childhood and who had known Tyler since his birth, Scott and I started our relationship slowly at first, but once we had some momentum - we never slowed down. It wasn't long before we were married and expecting a son together, Scooter. And when Scooter was 10 months old, we found we were expecting a third son, Riley.
Scott is a wonderful dad to all three boys and he helps me bring in a strong measure of fun and a sense of humor to my parenting style which tends to stray to the too protective and structured sometimes. He and Tyler are super close which makes me happy, even though Tyler has a great relationship with his Dad and sees him all the time.
So here we are, married almost 5 years. Our house is crazy, but we like to say it's the good kind of crazy. We have 3 sons: Tyler is 10, Scooter is 4 and Riley will be 3 in just over 2 months. We also have 2 dogs and a new kitten: Bella, Brewer and Kit Kat. Scott works for a national bank as a mortgage loan officer and I am a stay at home mom with a couple of side jobs I work as a consultant.
Our house is almost never quiet; and therefore, my friends and family with no children or only one child are often overwhelmed when visiting. Most days speed by so fast for me while I take care of my boys and try to manage the house and all our errands and obligations. Still, I love being home with all of them. What amazes me about being a mom is how different each of my children are. These little men have unique personalities and needs and those are always changing and developing as they grow.
The drawback to being a full time mom is that it's pretty much your whole world. That can be a great and wonderful thing, but it's funny how almost every conversation you have tends to revolve around your kids. I do my best to limit the stories, but there are so many of them! And they are a great way to keep my long distance friends and family connected to my life. I feel the same way about their stories - love to hear them and compare notes!
So my dear mother, MJ, is always telling me 'write that down so you don't forget' or 'you should write a book'. You should write a book. Really? And sell it to who? There are hundreds of thousands of moms out there doing the same thing I am with equally unique and fascinating kids. What would I say? Should it be a book of stories or a how to book? Who would read it? And really, who am I to tell anyone what's right or wrong - I am just winging it for darn sake! Or should I write a book on all the mistakes I have made? Now that could be a novel!
But the truth is - there's a lot that goes into motherhood and there's a lot about my kids I'd like to remember and share with those that might be interested, even if it's just their grandmas and aunties. And I think there is a path to sanity in writing about the craziness of my life. After all, this summer has certainly been eventful. We've had 2 vacations, an ER visit for a swallowed piece of model car, the start of a small remodel in the house, a new kitten who is afraid of my dogs so far, a crazy day at six flags with my son who overcame his fear of big roller coasters, potty training triumphs and bed time disasters. I read books for tips, I listen to advice, I vent to friends and I ask a million questions that start with 'How do I . . .' and 'What can I do about . . .'
I'm no different than most everyone else, but since I know my kids are fantastic and wonderful and unique - just like yours are, I am going to commit my thoughts to paper, er - e-paper anyway.
It's a bumpy ride - hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
God Bless!
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