Upon picking Pookie up from preschool the other day, I realized bath time was going to be a necessary evil that couldn’t wait until that night, which is when I would’ve bathed Punkin too. If you don’t know me, I am a planner and perfectionist, and I like checking off boxes. Give me an idea, and I’ll make it happen…at least that’s how I used to be. However, with the way my day had panned out, nothing had fallen into place nicely. When does it ever fall nicely into place anymore? It’s a constant battle: Kathryn versus her expectations—Kathryn 0 and Unmet Expectations 10. In case you’re wondering, Punkin did not get a bath that evening, and mama had some vino!
While I do enjoy the “lotion song” we sing after baths, I hate actual bath time! “Stop splashing! Be careful with your sister! Stop licking the tub walls! (I am not sure if I can accurately remember the last time I cleaned the bathtub.) Put your head back; put your head back; put your head back. Stop eating the soap! Quick, get out…sister pooped!” You know, all the things you will say a billion times before the kids are old enough to tend to their own hygiene…whenever that may be. I hear boys still don’t have it figured out by the time they hit puberty. Good luck to you mamas of boys. 😉
Anyway, when I picked her up that day, she was coatless and bootless (at least she had her tennis shoes on), and she was jumping/running through muddy, icy puddles. Thanks Peppa Pig.
We live in Colorado, and it had snowed the previous day. Let’s not forget, the child had a cough for about three weeks and wondered why she wasn’t getting better. Needless to say, I was annoyed. I had to put a soggy kid in the car and bathe her as soon as we got home. In my head, I was looking forward to getting a bit more done with my new real estate side gig, while Pookie entertained herself before the hubby and Punkin got home, but noooooooo. Not today Mama.
What’s that quote about the best laid plans often going awry? Being a mom and entrepreneur has been very humbling, and it becomes apparent on a daily basis how very little I can actually control. Quite frankly, my threenager thinks she controls everything, and sometimes I just don’t go there or pick that battle, but most of the time the struggle is real.
Honestly…three-year-olds just flat out suck a lot of the time…at least mine does. Whether it’s the screaming, attitude, bedtime battles, failure to listen, random lying or blatant defiance, being the mom to a three-year-old is a new experience. My husband would agree. Now, I wouldn’t say it’s the most challenging aspect of parenting thus far, but it’s a close second to potty training. My advice…if you want another kiddo, and you’re able to have another or adopt, try to do so before your first born turns three because you may very well change your mind, if you wait.
In fact, changing our minds is currently in the realm of possibilities. I believe God gave us Number two to guarantee our desire for a third wouldn’t completely wear off. I will say though, that child can also be a stinker, and stuuuuubbbborn! Wheww! She can throw some of the greatest temper tantrums I’ve ever seen. Oh, and her ability to willfully ignore Mom and Dad is so amazingly good that I asked my husband the other day if he thought she might not be able to hear us. I worried him, so he stood behind her flailing his arms, clapping and yelling her name…nothing. Then she heard a song on TV and started moving her hips and spinning. It’s not that she can’t hear…she is busy and can’t be bothered. I wonder what the teenage years have in store for us. :-/
Back to having three kids though, sometimes I question if we can handle another three-year-old, but then that same three-year-old reminds me as to why I wanted to be a mom in the first place. Seeing the way our girls play together and love one another also gives me the best warm and fuzzy feelings in the world. Their bond is special, and I love seeing them reunited after being apart from one another every Monday and Tuesday when Pookie is at school. She is a rockstar big sister, and she’s sweet, funny, kind, energetic, opinionated, stubborn and independent, and let me tell you, she can toot with the best of them.
Why is it that a toot, fart, breaking wind, or whatever you want to call it, can suddenly turn a frustrating day into a joyful one? I don’t get it. Even at 36-years-old, my daughter’s man-sized toots just get me. Maybe it’s her contagious laugh more than anything or the joy she gets from hearing it. I don’t know, but it sure can change my mood for the better, and that day, I was thankful for that toot. I was drying her off from the dreaded bath I cut short (because she wasn’t listening), and she ripped a good one. Both of our mouths dropped, and we just started laughing. She has the best belly laugh. Every inch of her tightens with enthusiasm, and her face lights up like a Christmas tree.
That one toot steered me away from focusing on my unmet expectations for the day and made me realize how much I am going to miss those random moments and bursts of laughter. While Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my days to focus on my goals, my priority will continue to be my kiddos, until they no longer need me. How blessed am I that I can pursue my passion as a mom at the same time I am working to grow our real estate businesses? You can make anything happen, as long as you remain focused, dedicated and adaptable. It’s best to realize early on though that the route you take won’t be a straight shot. It may also mean later nights and earlier mornings, but in the end will you look back with regret, or will you know you lived the way you wanted?
To be honest, that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day was likely just one of those days when I felt everyone was out to get me. I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, but let me tell you, nothing pulls you out of an agitated mood quicker than a toddler’s sense of humor and one heck of a toot. Relish those toots, full-body laughs and tantrums. It’s all part of your circus.
Check out my seven tips for handling a threenager. I’d love to hear your thoughts too! What works for you? Comment on my site, so others can benefit too.
xoxo,
Kathryn
