We knew our lives would change drastically when we had our first daughter, Sydney. Friends who were already parents made sure we knew just how much our lives would change. Now that we’re parents of two, we also get that kind of twisted enjoyment when talking to soon-to-be new parents.
“It’s the most wonderful thing you’ll ever do.” It is.
“Your heart will explode with love.” It will.
“You’ll hide in the bathroom sitting with your head between your legs rocking back and forth saying ‘what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger’.” You will.
We have two daughters, Sydney (almost 4) and Sawyer (9 months). Life is a little crazy these days, and we are working on redefining our expectations because… survival.
There is a quote somewhere about expectations being the root of all suffering. We found it on the internet, so it’s true.
Expectations, for the most part, are a good thing. When it comes to life with the kids, it’s a trap. The quickest way to anger and frustration is to go into any situation with a firm expectation of how it will go and have the kids decide otherwise. From bedtime to a long trip, the more we let go of our expectations, the less stress we create for our family.
It’s easy to say that now, after three years of expecting we can meet friends for lunch on time, only to be late because we were chasing around our naked daughter with her clothes while she giggles and screams something about her ‘booty butt’. We expected this blog post to be written three weeks ago. Goals are good, but keep them general– like “healthy”. Healthy is a good goal and there is no deadline.
Balance has become a buzzword thrown around often these days. That’s what it’s all about, right? Finding balance.
The thing about balance, when you have two children under the age of 4, is that you’re not going to find it. And we think that’s OK. These years of caring for young children are a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Thankfully we’re both aware that, while they’re challenging, they are also incredibly wonderful (and FAST!) and we will look back on them as some of the best moments of our lives.
