If you have or have had three children 2 and under you my be able to connect with my train of thought here. Or maybe any mother with young children does similar things all day long.
In our home we wake up to the sounds of children talking, fussing, or screaming between 6:00 and 7:00am. It takes almost an hour to get three little diapers changed, three little bodies dressed, family prayers said, and Mommy and Daddy dressed.
It then takes almost another hour to make and serve breakfast to three hungry little tummies. (And hope Mommy gets a bite to eat too, since Daddy has rushed off to school by now.) By this time there is at least one if not more poopy diapers to change, and sometimes soiled clothes need to be changed again too. Once everyone has a clean bottom once again, then we try to get three little bed-heads and one big bed-head looking decent. Sometime during this craziness Mommy tried to fit at least 5 minutes of scripture study and personal prayer in. At this point I call my family, "ready for the day." By the time we are "ready for the day" it is usually 10:00 and everyone is hungry again. So, Mommy sets the children at the table with a little snack while she feeds the baby, after which he usually falls asleep. 10:30 is exercise time- if the baby is asleep this Mommy exercises by tossing the toddlers around and having tickle fights; if the baby is awake this Mommy loads the toddlers and baby up in the triple stroller and takes them for a walk around a pond near our home. By the time we get back there are three hungry tummies and two tired toddlers.
So, lunch is put together quickly so the toddlers can rest all the sooner. Once lunch has been served to the toddlers (Mommy usually only has time for a few bites) there are three diapers that need to be changed. The toddlers get put to bed and the baby finally gets his lunch. Once the baby is asleep also - by this time it is 12:30 - Mommy tries to finish eating lunch and get it put away. By this time Mommy is exhausted, but has dishes to do, laundry to fold, floors to sweep, diapers to wash, phone calls to make, and the list goes on. All too soon, the little ones awaken from their slumber, each needing a clean bottom and some nourishment. Once those needs are met it's time to pick up our child care children from school. So Mommy loads three little ones into three child safety restraint systems and drives off to the school. When we get back there's homework, snack, activity, outdoor play, and other activities.
At 5:30 it's time to make dinner while attempting to keep the little ones far enough away to avoid burns, cuts, and other hazards. Hopefully dinner is ready by 6:15. It takes almost an hour to feed three hungry tummies all the while chatting and trying to teach appropriate behavior. By the time dinner is over it's time for three baths, three diapers, two toddler's teeth that need brushing, three sets of pajamas, family scriptures and prayers, and two cribs and one little bed. Once all the little ones are asleep it is usually 8:30 and this Mommy is tired and worn out, but happy she made it through another day. Although, there is still dishes to do, laundry to fold, floors to sweep, diapers to wash, phone calls to make, and the list goes on. An exhausted Mommy and Daddy crawl into bed around 11:00 and hope the children sleep well, although the littlest one's tummy gets hungry around 2:30am. So, there's more work to do. And we start all over again at 6:30 the next morning. (As you can see, the only way I had time to type this was to stay up late. The posting time is almost midnight!) But, let me just say, this is the best job in the world. I love being a Mom and raising my children the way I want to raise them, and teaching them the things I want them to know.
Their love, laughter, and smiles make the constant work worth it.
Watching them help each other and be kind and thoughtful.
Rejoicing over their successes.
