Life is a constant whirlwind these days, with Monday through Friday filled with busy work schedules and our weekends filled with errands and what little play time we can squeeze in. Yet I can't help but think that these are the absolute best days of my life. Watching Taylor learn and grow with each passing day, feeling this new miracle tumble around inside of me, and falling more in love with my husband than I ever thought possible makes my heart overflow with happiness. I feel like I don't say it enough, but I am so very appreciative of this life and the abundance of blessings than God has given to our family.
I realize that the blog has been a bit of a snooze fest lately (aside from my weekly bump updates), but it's not for a lack of effort. There are so many posts that I'm longing to write and photos of Taylor that I want to upload and edit, but quite honestly we are just trying to soak up as much quality time together as possible before our house is consumed with dirty diapers, unwashed bottles, and the long, sleepless nights that a newborn is certain to bring. Don't get me wrong, I am anxiously counting down the days until this little one arrives, but I am also a little apprehensive as to how his arrival with affect Taylor and the overall dynamic that currently exists among our family of three.
Change is hard for everyone, but it is especially rough on toddlers. While our girl is pretty adaptable, I know that shifting our focus solely from her to her and a newborn is going to have its effects on her. So we have been making every effort to spend lots of one-on-one time with her and really focusing on her transition into a little lady. She is like a sponge these days, constantly repeating everything we say and trying to mimic every action we make. It's amazing what she is capable of picking up, so we always try to be mindful of what we do or say when she is around. Although last week I blurted out "Oh shit!" when I nearly dropped something and my little sidekick promptly repeated the phrase, multiple times.
Nevertheless, seeing all of her old baby items being pulled out of storage and hearing us talk about the new baby has already highlighted a few indications that there is more work to be done. She is quick to let us know that she is our baby and she doesn't plan on sharing anything with her little brother. Like I said, there's work to be done. But I know that as my due date draws closer and the tot gets a little older, she will eventually adapt to these new changes. Personally, I think she is going to be a great big sister, always loving and caring for her babies and asking to help me no matter what I'm doing. She's definitely growing into her independence, constantly telling me, "No, Moppy, I do it," then asking for help five seconds later. Such is life with a toddler though. Patience is key.
But aside from the temper tantrums and asking her to do everything at least 50 times, I love her strong-willed personality oh-so much. She is stubborn and headstrong and so much like me it's scary. One day last week she was in such a foul mood that when I asked her to put on her coat she completely lost her marbles. At the time I wanted to strangle her, but when I was recapping the story for Jake later that evening I couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculousness and empathize with her. Sometimes you're just having a bad day and the last thing you need is someone breathing down your neck about a stupid coat. I get it. A little time to cool off and a few hugs and smooches later and she's back on solid ground laughing and playing.
Parenting has proven to be a non-stop roller coaster, full of ups and downs and more unexpected turns than I could ever imagine, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. In fact, I can't wait to add our second wild child to the mix soon. Another baby means even less sleep and more tantrums to deal with, but it also means more hugs & smooches and double the amount of love that only a parent can feel. I question everything and overthink things way too often, but one thing is certain: even though they are crazy and chaotic, these are the days that I will look back on and remember the most. Even those fork marks etched in my dining room table.
But aside from the temper tantrums and asking her to do everything at least 50 times, I love her strong-willed personality oh-so much. She is stubborn and headstrong and so much like me it's scary. One day last week she was in such a foul mood that when I asked her to put on her coat she completely lost her marbles. At the time I wanted to strangle her, but when I was recapping the story for Jake later that evening I couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculousness and empathize with her. Sometimes you're just having a bad day and the last thing you need is someone breathing down your neck about a stupid coat. I get it. A little time to cool off and a few hugs and smooches later and she's back on solid ground laughing and playing.
Parenting has proven to be a non-stop roller coaster, full of ups and downs and more unexpected turns than I could ever imagine, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. In fact, I can't wait to add our second wild child to the mix soon. Another baby means even less sleep and more tantrums to deal with, but it also means more hugs & smooches and double the amount of love that only a parent can feel. I question everything and overthink things way too often, but one thing is certain: even though they are crazy and chaotic, these are the days that I will look back on and remember the most. Even those fork marks etched in my dining room table.
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