The good, the bad, and all the little stuff in between...

 I'm not going to pretend that being at home with our new family of two kids has been all roses. It's been, well, TOUGH! From the needy 2 year old with the defiant streak, to the endless diapering, laundry, meals, etc. it is quite an adjustment. Just the adjustment from being at work, to being at home, and from Forrest being a daycare three days a week, to now being at home 24/7 is tough, not to mention gaining a newborn. We've had good and bad days, or more like good and bad hours. That is what is really amazing, how quickly a bad set of moments can morph into great memorable times.
Such as.... when your 2 year old has beamed you and his little brother with the cold hose water for the 18th time, thoroughly soaking the both of you and waking the little guy from his brief sleep that was OH SO NEEDED on this fussy infant day, you snap. You yell...perhaps even loose your temper and feel the need to spray the hose on yourself to cool off your hot head. He goes in time out for the 10th time, (hmmm I wonder if it is working....) and when you release him from his hold you decide to go on a walk...right then and there. Wet, naked 2 year old, (yes shoes on,) postpartum flabby mama in her bathing suit, and all. So down the dirt road you walk, without the stroller as you know the toddler has energy to burn, and you are finally happy that there is some quiet as the 2 year old is happy as can be walking up the "big hill" and you would do anything for the peace. The infant is FINALLY sleeping, albeit a bit steamily, in the sling. You start to enjoy yourself. Your 2 year old starts to sing the cutest song about the butterflys, the bears, and do a little jig, naked, in the middle of the dirt road. You laugh to yourself and contemplate your neighbors expressions if they were to run into you in this hot, dusty, naked, and beautiful moment.... Then the dad drives up in his big truck and the 2 year old screams in delight as he heard the big truck coming and you give a sigh of relief at the sight of your partner in crime here to help, as you know the walk can't last forever.
Moments like this happen ALL THE TIME. I wish I would write them down more. On this same crazy afternoon we had also painted, as shown in the pictures below. I was *trying* to have different activities for Forrest so we could avoid the meltdowns, endless defiance, and mama crazy times that seem to be occuring more frequently. It was great, for about 10 minutes, and then the whole hose thing happened and well, you know the rest.

In looking back at this great day of blue and green feet I will remember the good times, the precious times, and I hope NOT the poorly tempered mama moments. After days like these I really WANT to be a better mother, and not loose my cool.
I think I'll be taking lots of walks in this long journey of raising kids...:-)