Being a Parent is Hard and Exhausting Work

I used to scrapbook quite frequently and the other day I came across the fact that I haven't finished a scrapbook since 2011. No surprise here that my oldest is almost 3, so I believe that being a parent is a direct correlation between the two. When I was a first time parent I wondered what did I do with my time before having children. I actually remember saying, "I wasted it!". Again lately as I look at things unfinished throughout my house and my growing to do list I wonder what do I do with my time. Then I began to think what a daily routine entails in our house and how it is not really that shocking that I have no time or energy for things like blogging, couponing, scrapbooking, reading, and any other non-traditional daily activities. I think it is telling how I have been trying to post this blog for 3 days, and the only time I have is while pretending to nap on my 2 year old daughter's floor while she gets some much needed rest.

A typical day is packed full with helping my husband off to work, taking care of our pets, emptying trashcans, doing the dishes, getting ready for my day, diaper changes, getting my girls ready for their day, breakfast, situating my daycare child into our day, ABC Mouse, snacks, more diaper changes, some kind of activity out of the house (typically a walk to the park), even more diaper changes, lunch, books/story time, nap (which more and more consists of me laying on the floor here hoping when I leave the room she will stay asleep and not wake up)...

(I made it out without waking her... WAHOO!)

... diaper changes (YET AGAIN), snack, free play (including me joining in), feeding my girls dinner, diaper changes (yup another time), my daycare kid going home, working in laundry somewhere up there, going to lift weights and use the treadmill at the gym (while I'll admit really just enjoying the childcare offered there), coming home, giving the girls a bed time snack (if they didn't eat their dinner well), helping the girls feed the pets and get ready for bed, then putting them down for bed, and finally getting to spend a couple hours of alone time with my husband (if I can stay awake).

I can't say I have no free time in a day, but during the free time I do have I feel too tired to do anything productive and just want to play on my phone or play The Sims 3 or look around on Facebook or watch something on Netflix.

With Liberty starting preschool soon I thought maybe being a parent will be easier, but the fast paced life of school schedules, potentially gymnastics, music, dance, soccer, softball or some other extra curricular activity, our children's growing independence/personality, and potentially getting a daycare license and taking on more children I feel I will be in for an even busier life.

Being a parent is hard and exhausting work! I think harder work than most expecting parents realize. I have only been doing this for 3 years, and even though I may not; blog everyday, coupon every week, finish a book in less than 3 months, and ever get anything else done on my to do list; I am happy, love my children, and know I am trying to be a mom my girls will admire and look up to when they have children of their own.

The attached video still makes me appreciate my own mom, and it helps me realize I am a mom that has a very difficult job and needs to cut herself some slack now and again.