Year 2 With 3

Today, Thomas is 2!

We made it! All 5 of us! It has been a year full of changes and growing and learning and letting go. I have been more physically exhausted from the care and keeping of these 3 than anyone could have ever told me. And we have been more emotionally invested in their training and schooling and preparation for launch than I anticipated for as young as they are. The road continues to get more winding, less predictable, as the kids get older. Which is half the fun. 

I put into practice most of the tips from my list of Top 9 lessons learned from last year. I do laundry every day. We watch loads of Hulu, usually in 20 minute increments. We go through 3 bags of shredded cheese a week. I do not, however, sweep the kitchen floor every day. The dog became an inside dog during this year to become our live-in, fully functional vacuum. But there are many new lessons learned this past year that I can carry into the next several years of our years being outnumbered. 

1. If I hear a 2 year old say "jump!", "poop", or "uh oh!", it's too late.

2. I will not judge a mother for giving her toddler the iPod to play games on. And also will not try to hide my judgement with the thin veil of "wow, the things they pick up on these days". We all know what you are trying to say.

3. Always have at least 2 balls, 3 toys with wheels, 2 books, a trash bag, set of hand wipes, a change of clothes for every member of the family, towels, a stroller with buckles that work, a banana, and bandaids in the van at all times.

4. I'll say it again: A load of laundry must be done daily. Even Sundays. And leap days. From now until the end of time.

5. Bathtime requires at least 3 towels. One for the boy, one for the wall, one for the floor.

6. As opposed to last year, now when calculating how long it will take to get ready to leave, use the following equation: Age of individual x 7 + number of individuals. Unit of measurement is in hours.

7. If you lift 30lbs repeatedly over your head, your will have amazingly toned arms. Amazingly toned arms somehow do not make for amazingly toned (fill in the blank) elsewhere on your body.

8. Keep it covered.*

9. I can only go to Publix as long as I am willing to let everyone in the car have a cookie.

10. Not everyone thinks it's funny when the kids tell the 2 year old to yell "poop!!" really loudly in public.

11. I will N-E-V-E-R be within budget for groceries, unless I decide to start making my own Goldfish crackers and can grow bananas in our backyard. (I don't want to hear it, Joey Espinosa)

12. If you have one nose picker, then you will have 2.


Yes, there are 12. And no, it's not to make up for not having 10 last year. Seriously? You pay attention to stuff like that? Maybe you should stop reading blogs and pay more attention to your kids....



*"it" being any of the following, but not limited to: a dirt pile, a rock pile, an ant pile, the toilet, the trash can, your belly button, the computer keyboard, the dog food bin, the dog's water bowl, your mouth, the toothpaste.