The Key Value Motherhood Teaches You: Time

Time.

Something I’m learning about right now.

You don’t appreciate the small minutes I don’t think until you are run off your feet every minute of the day.

My 3 year old has recently start Montessori two afternoons a week. At the same time my 2 year old and 10 month old have a nap.

This leaves me, for the first time in who knows how long, alone for a few hours twice a week.

Alone. To hang the washing out without rescuing a child from the garden every three minutes. To make a phone call without someone saying “Can I talk?” constantly. To bake or cook without flour and milk being sprayed around the kitchen. To sort out a room without it being pulled out again. To have a cup of tea, WARM. To listen to music I want. To have silence.

And even better, to write. To pray. To read. To do whatever I want. (But theres no time to be indecisive, that would be time wasted…)

And do you know what?

I miss them.

Having three very closely spaced babies has had its moments. Its been beyond stressful at times. Having three small ones hanging (literally) off me has at times exhausted me in every way possible. Not to mention being pregnant with small ones in the past. Who needs to go to a gym when you reach the end of the day and every muscle hurts. When your brain is exhausted from who needs what and when and thats only feeding, hugs and nappy changes. When I’m screaming mentally inside.

But you know what. Its getting easier. Those moments are fewer and further in between. We are more in a “groove” as a family. I’m more relaxed and confident. My husband and I are a great team. Toddlers  and preschoolers bring different challenges, but don’t have the same high needs as a baby. They are learning (well) to do things on their own without help. To help each other. Two of them don’t need nappies in the day. I have great wee helpers and companions and conversations are a joy.

They are my little gang.

And I don’t know where the time is going between my first newborn and having 3 growing up children. I’m waking up from a blur that was small babies.

Is it time to get them up yet?