"Ah Ha" Moments, Tantrums and Poop

I have about 10 blog post in my mind to write. Ahh.... which to choose?! Hmm... I will try to cohesively combine a few.... first, some cuteness for you...

On Wednesday I got to preschool 30 minutes a bit early. I like to be 1st. Anywho, Avery was napping in the car seat and it was BEAUTIFUL outside so I rolled down the windows and took the day in. As cars pulled behind me, I counted 7 minivans and 5 SUVs all in a row and do you know what I realized? I am living EXACTLY the life I always dreamed of living. With the exception of being PTA president and my children being well behaved in public, my life is literally everything I dreamed of. 

That probably sounds snotty but let me back up. I had pretty simple dreams. I wanted:

1. to be a wife

2. to have kids

3. to have an SUV (although now I'd LOVE a Sienna! Man, do I feel old!)

4. specifically, boy 1st, girl 2nd

5. to be a stay at home mom

6. to be just shy of a helicopter mom and be VERY involved in their lives/school (including PTA president)

Cancer came close to taking a lot of that away from me but God is SOOO good and reigned victorious over that chapter in my life!

Maybe it's because October is my favorite month, or that I got to run errands sans tantrums, or the weather was just perfect.... but there in the car pool line I had a wonderful "ah ha" moment. I feel incredibly blessed. My life is what I dreamed it to be. There were times I had to fight for it to be and times God just worked it out Himself.  It isn't perfect but I feel so blessed to live it!

About that life isn't perfect part.... today, I left the mall in tears, covered in poop, with a crying, poop covered, 5 month old in my arms, a backpack on my back and dragging a screaming 2 year old behind me. It's my fault.... I went to the mall during nap time with 2 kids, without a stroller and without "bobby" (Parker's milk). 

We went to the Disney store to add to Parker's collection of small toy story plush dolls and to return shoes. He's gotten VERY into imaginary play and I like that these plush toys force Parker to talk for them and they don't hurt Avery when they randomly "fly" off the couch into her face. After I had checked out, Parker found a $99 Toy Story Snow Globe. Cue Tantrum. When I wouldn't buy said snow globe, he found a $24 bobble head that I also wouldn't buy. Cue even bigger tantrum. Pulling him up off the floor woke Avery up who started screaming and then pooped EVERYWHERE. So there we are in the mall... Avery is screaming and covered in poop. I am now covered in poop.... and Parker is rolling on the floor as people step around him. It was lovely. We walked the WHOLE length of the mall to get back to the car. Parker was more or less dragged as I don't think both feet were actually on the ground. I was livid, upset, embarrassed.... WHEW! Have you been there before? Please say yes so I don't feel so bad about it!?!

3 blow outs in 3 days! YUCK!

I stripped in the garage, aired the car out and immediately sanitized all of us!

Clean babies

Toes are tasty!

An hour later, you'd never know he had just been such a booger! Check out that FACE!!!!

Despite 15 AWFUL minutes today, the rest really was wonderful. That's not such a terrible ratio when you think about it like that but man does it seem world ending at the time! 

I hope this October you're able to walk outside and take in the beauty of nature, the vastness of God, the blessings in your life and changes on the horizon. I know I sure am! :)