"This Time"

Always together. 

Just to clarify, being a mom is the absolute greatest part of my life. I would not trade these 2 boys for anything and,even in their crazy moments, they have not only stolen my heart, but have created entire new feelings that did not exist before I held them for the first time. 

With that being said...I am just not entirely sure I am going to miss "This Time". 

If you are the parent of a child under the age of 5 then you hear this phrase daily,

 "Enjoy this time." OR "You can't get this time back."

Am I the only one who doesn't want it back? 

There is just something* exhausting about having little people dependent on you for their every move. The demands, the neediness, the tantrums, the lack of logic, the stickiness, the cursed pumping for the little one, the lack of sleep, the confusion over "what the heck just happened and why is everyone crying?"

*9 million somethings 

I am only saying this to remind future Melissa that the stage you are in now is ok. Yes, they were snuggly and let you hug them in public and played the "Guess how much I love you" game with you., 

But, if you slept an uninterrupted 6 hours, got to go down the stairs in whatever order you want, drank hot (or even lukewarm) coffee, went to the bathroom by yourself, etc. then you are living the dream. Go give your older kids a hug because I am assuming you probably still love them just as much. And, maybe take them to baseball camp or Dollywood or something because all of those hours you worked allowed to you be in whatever job are in now so you can pay for those expensive little things. You're welcome. 

Future Melissa, don't worry that you didn't appreciate the time when they were little or that you worked too much or checked your phone when you were playing with them or made them cry it out. I promise you loved them with every fiber of your being. You DID enjoy "this time" by snuggling, reading in bed with them, getting just as excited about picking them up as they were about seeing you, buying them random surprises, pumping in your car(Sorry, TMI), never sleeping, literally forgetting how to turn on the TV except for them and hugging them at every opportunity. 

And, just in case you are feeling wistful and wishing for "This time",  here are a few accurate snapshots of what you have left behind...

He was mad because McDonald's doesn't sell biscuits at lunch. 

He was angry because his tomato got in his ketchup. (I realize the irony there)

He was pissed because he wanted a napkin, but refused to say please. 

He was on the edge because he didn't like the way the bite looked in his banana.