Many afternoons you’ll find me on my couch listening to Natalie read aloud. It’s part of her homework. You’ll also find me playing peek-a-boo through my sunglasses with my favorite two-year-old who is sitting on my lap. And answering the question of my wonderful four-year-old who is probably now yelling it since I didn’t answer it the first three times she asked me. It might sound like this:
“What’s this word again? Boo! Ains, not so loud. Yes, you can have a string cheese. What does ‘a’ say when an ‘e’ ends the word? Boo!”
This is the life of a mom of young kids. It’s hectic. It’s loud. It’s stressful.
Many days when I look out my *glass* shower door, I see at least one face peering back at me. On the fun days it’s Henry, but more often than not, it’s a small face. Or multiple small faces. And sometimes they are crying.
I say “Just a minute” more times than I can count.
I’ve read in several parenting books that mothering several preschoolers is the most stressful time in a woman’s life and I believe it. I remember a friend of mine once telling me she coached herself through these years by telling herself it was her seven years to get a PhD in her children. She focused on learning who they were intimately so she could better mother them once they were in school and as adolescents.
Maria Shriver’s mother, Eunice, encouraged her by telling her a woman’s life is like a book. Each decade is a new chapter. I love that advice. There will be a day when I am able to do all the things I want to get accomplished. It just might not happen all in the same day, or all in the same decade for that matter.
When I think of my goals for outside the four walls of my home, I remind myself there will come a day. But for today, this year, and next, my goals are laying a foundation for the years ahead. So my children are comfortable coming to me with their problems in elementary school and their heartaches in high school. Teaching them about the One who can ultimately help them with everything.
Saving the world will have to wait for today. I’m busy taking care of babies. Of course who am I kidding, they will always be my babies.
Natalie – 6 years old
Ainsley – 4 years old
Henry V “Ryan” – 2 years old
The Three Amigos
Do you think he knows he’s messing up the picture? The look on his face tells me YES!
Marquiss Clan, Christmas 2010
We go to Portrait Innovations in Leesburg. We love them. Ryan thinks they are hysterical.
Have a great day!
Comments (16)
haha awee I so love all the photos of the kiddos and the family photo is so precious! You’re awesome Leighann! Love seeing the Lord work through your family with the little miracle baby! :o) Have a sweet blessed day! <3
You are a great mother. I understand the chaos and busy-ness of raising several young ones at once. Can be both stressful and rewarding.
I LOVE the pictures. So cute. Ryan is a little ham. Love you all.
Feeling a little emotional this morning. Thank you for this post. You are a great story teller. Eunice was a incredible women to say the least.
PS- Great pics!
I love the photos! Wishing you a blessed day also.It can be stressful and we would be lying if we never admitted it thanks for sharing your thoughts.
cute pics. i always wanted to try portraits innovations. we do kiddie kandids.
Great post! The pictures couldn’t be more cuter!
oh.my.gosh! that last picture is hysterical!!!! i need to save that and look at it whenever i need to smile/laugh. he is SO cute!!!! love ALL the pics! AND your description of your afternoons…
That made me cry.
And was really good for me to read.
Thank you for sharing.
And your kids are precious.
And Ryan makes me want to meet him in person SO badly!
I love the new pictures. Ryan is getting so big – he is amazing! The girls are adorable!
your children of course are beautiful, look at you and your husband, you both could be models! You are such a good mother, your house hold seems so calm and collected while mine is a source of chaos and yelling “mom, tell buddy to quit hitting me” and “mom! I told you to tell-OW!”
lol…
Ryan seems to have such a happy disposition on life after what he went through. He’s always this happy looking lil man, he’s getting so big, losing alot of that baby look unfortunately. I love seeing my kids grow but when they start to loose that baby look it saddens me even though I know that must happen.
I hardly ever take a shower without someones eyes peering at me, or a fully dressed 2 year old jumping in or someone yelling “Mom, what are you doing! I need you!”
I loved this post Leighann. Thanks for sharing these things. You are such a good momma. I love how you share your heart with us here.
These pictures are terrific. The kids are all changing and growing up. I love our happy boy Ryan..he is precious. And the girls are so beautiful.
Never a dull moment at your house with your three Hobbits and your Giant!
Love to you!
Momma Linda
Oh my I love those….Ryan is soooo precious! Oh my goodness, Leighann, your kids are precious!
Okay, i am looking for that recipe for you right now!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the pictures!!!!!!!
thanks for sharing your honest thoughts on mothering small children. i think our society likes to dupe women into thinking motherhood is always happy/easy, and LIFE just isn’t like that! i have told the honest truth about how different stages have been to any friends having their first since mine. it is so much more helpful to hear how things really are so that when times are tough you know it’s not just you!
i only have one son, going on 10 months, and he is wonderful but a handful while trying to complete grad school…looking forward to trying life with two sometime, haha 😉 you are amazing!
have a great weekend!
-ashley
Love, love, love all the family photos! The girls look beautiful and Ryan is just so stinkin’ cute I can’t stand it!