Gratitude

I feel like I've entered a new world of chaos- one that I sometimes just feel caught up with and then, BOOM, something happens and I've spiraled back onto the whirlpool.  It's something that has been magnified since becoming a wife and mother but that I've noticed becoming increasingly worse over the past few months.

Welcome to my chaos: 

I love the feeling of finishing my laundry.  I separate it into nice little piles so that I can put each one away quickly and efficiently.  And just when I get the last pile into the dresser, Porter wets through his diaper at nap time and I now have a whole day of clothes, a sleep sack, a sheet and a blanket to wash.  Around this time, Daniel walks in from working in the garage and peels off his sweaty clothes and tosses them into the empty but-only-for-45-minutes hamper.  Ug.

Now that Porter is playing with toys- he seems to take EVERY SINGLE TOY out of EVERY SINGLE BIN and play with it for exactly 2.5 seconds before coming over to me, throwing his arms in the air and saying, "up." Which translates to, "I am so over all these toys, would you please read to me?" (Side note- Porter is absolutely OBSESSED with reading.  We are having trouble doing anything in his room these days because all he wants to do is read.  I'm quite sick of: The Wheels on the Bus, Lamma Lamma, Five Little Pumpkins and Vroom Vroom. He is very particular about what books he likes.  Often I try to "sneak" a new book and he instantly closes the page and pushes it out of my hands.  My little opinionated boy.)

 

The grocery store is somewhere I can bring Porter and I know that I can do all my shopping while he entertains himself saying "hi" to everyone that will catch his eye.  If things start to deteriorate, I can always hand him an apple and that will buy me at least 15 minutes. (This kid loves his apples, I never leave home with out one!)  It's the coming home and cooking dinner that I am no longer able to do with him in the kitchen.  He has discovered how to open the dog food bin and I will admit that he has sampled a few of the kibbles!  He can also open all cabinets and would take everything out of the drawers if I let him. (I have such an appreciation for single moms.)

This is what I'm starting to get when I take
pictures of him- such a goof ball!

We share P duty in the mornings before work.  The bathtub makes an amazing holding pin for him and he usually plays there while I finish my morning routine and while Dada is in the shower.  The other day I left the room and came back in to see him attempting to swing one leg over the edge.  My days of using this as a mock-crib are numbered!

I can't believe I don't have any pictures of him
playing in the dry bath - this
one will have to do!

As chaotic as life is these days,  I have to take time to sit and reflect on what a great (and chaotic) life I have. Daniel and I have a healthy baby who is ALWAYS happy and seems to already laugh his way through life.  He makes my belly ache with giggles, even when I feel like life is caving in on me.  He makes a gray sky turn blue and tuns my frown upside down.  Life may be crazy, but this perfect little dude makes me happier than I ever imagined.  It is through all this chaos that I realize my life isn't perfect, but I wouldn't have it any other way.