Steps

On Wednesday, I was scrubbing the tub so I could give Austin a bath. Joshua wanted to help, and being the super fun mom I am trying to be, I let him. He had a great time getting in and out of the tub and using the rag to wipe it down. It was all rinsed so I didn't worry about the cleaning chemicals. I moved on to the shower, while Joshua finished the tub. A few minutes later, Joshua said, "Look Mom! Me help you!" I looked and he had found lotion and had squirted it all over his hands and then had wiped it all.over.the.tub. He also had one of my nice makeup brushes and was using it to scrub the lotion into the tub. Back to square one. Rescrub the tub. With a rag, not my makeup brush.

After the tub was cleaned, I bathed Austin. Bathed him, lotioned him, baby powdered him, dressed him in a clean onesie, and then even before I could pick him up to enjoy his fresh clean smell, he spits up. Everywhere. Back to square one.

It felt like I had taken two steps forward, and then ten steps backward all day. It was hard to feel like I was accomplishing anything. How was I going to get everything done?! It was at that moment when I realized something. Two steps forward, and ten steps backward, but they were all in the same direction ... creating a home of learning, of love, of patience, and hopefully creating a very happy childhood for my little ones. So all these steps I take every day, either forward or backward, can either lead me to frustration, or lead me to a recognition that this is a very short, very special time that I have with my kids before they grow and don't want to be next to me all day anymore.

My laundry will never all be done, there will always be some sort of chore to do, my kids will want to help and it will inevitably take longer when they do, but it's not all about getting things done, it's about the steps we get to take, together.