The house is quiet today. Bryant spent the night with Nana & Papa up at Blake & Stephanie's house so he could go to a Mariner's game. He's still up there playing with Jack, John's on duty, so Aubrey & I are holding down the fort with Stu-boy. It's quiet. Wait, I already mentioned that.
I've said this to a few people but it's amazing how once Aubrey entered our world my routine was rocked a little bit. I remember thinking, "How in the world do moms ever get grocery shopping done? Or housework? Or dinner? Or anything for that matter?!" I got used to that normal, though, and even thrived in it.
Then Bryant arrived. I found myself asking, once again, "How in the world?!" to just about any routine job I was supposed to get accomplished. One child was one thing, the second just blew everything out the window. Now there were two schedules to keep track of, not to mention the guilt I felt over no longer being able to be Aubrey's everything. And the guilt I felt over not being able to savor every new thing Bryant was accomplishing. I couldn't even manage to take monthly photos of him like I did with Aubs! How was I supposed to get housework done, grocery shopping done, or anything else? I got used to our new normal, and found myself beginning to thrive in it.
Then Stuart arrived. All hope of any type of "normal," dissolved in an instant. Yes, he's 8 months old now. We've had 8 whole months to get used to our newest normal. I can and do go to the grocery store with all three children...without shuddering. I can and do keep a fairly clean house...most of the time. I can and do have the time to lay on the floor and wrestle/tickle/kiss my kids, all three, at one point or another in the day. And I do manage to get dinner on the table most nights. And I have an understanding husband on the other nights when we have pancakes. :)
Yes, we are the family that walks into a house and makes spines tingle a little. Aubs has a vocabulary of about 100,000 words and she likes to use all of them more than once in one day. (she talks a lot). Bryant has a vocabulary of about 100 words and he's so excited to use them that he makes sure the whole neighborhood can hear him. (he talks a lot. and loudly). Stuart walks along furniture now and he gets himself into precarious positions. He's gotten a black eye already if that's any indication of our life together.
But today is quiet. The house is clean. Dinner is in the crock pot. Aubrey is having her quiet time, Stuart is napping. I can't help but think how in a few short years I am going to desperately miss the chaos of our busy house. I will miss my three little munchkins running around, talking too loudly, too much, jumping, falling, crying, being crazy. I will have a clean house, dinner beautifully served at the table, groceries stocked with perfection, and peace and quiet. And I will think back to how beautiful, wonderful, and perfect this pandamonium is. And I will miss it.
Aubrey will grow up. She will not be interested in playing games with me, or making cakes, or riding her bike next to me. Playing kitchen, dolls, school. Reading books, watching movies. 
Bryant will grow up. I will no longer hear, "Mommy, pway ball wif me." 500 times a day. He won't be interested in being tickled or chased by me. He won't care if I am in his room building up his train station with him.
Stuart will grow up. He won't need me to just hold him, kiss him, love on him. He won't want me to wrap him up in my arms and snuggle up against him. He won't need me to rock him at night, or sing him lullabies. Tickle his belly or chase him as he crawls away.
John and I have received a few comments recently that go something like, "Imagine life without being bogged down by children." It's a nightmare to imagine that. We're living in a dream and we both know it. And we're oh-so-thankful.
