Harvesting Memories: A Guide To Embracing the Crazy

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Pumpkin patches and corn mazes. Quintessentially Fall, but they tend to make me crazy.

The Expectations

Before I had kids, I couldn’t wait to do all things Fall-related with my kids! It’s my favorite season: pumpkin carving, leaf peeping and several visits to our local pumpkin patches. I am still very much a kid at heart and thoroughly enjoy getting my kids excited to partake in the best activities this season has to offer.

However, I often have to remind myself to be present in that moment and let my kids be kids.

All of our activities lately seem to begin the same. I’m giving my kids “the talk” about how they need to stay with mama, hold hands and look for cars as we cross the street and let me know if they need to go potty.

Seems easy enough, right? Wrong.

The Reality

Fast forward 20 minutes. We’re leisurely walking through the corn maze. I let my 3 ½-year-old walk a little too far in front me, turn the corner and he’s gone. Panic sets in, but I try to stay calm as I walk my 2-year-old along and yell for my oldest. Not but 30 seconds later, we find him and all is okay again. Until my youngest decides it’s more fun to dig in the ground for rocks than it is to be walking through some old corn maze.

I start to feel myself get frustrated and tell myself this was a bad idea.

Then it hits me, like it so often does in those key mama moments. They’re three and two and they’re doing exactly what is expected of three and two year olds. They’re exploring, learning, observing and especially, testing the patience of their mama.

It’s times like these when I’m questioning my sanity—why I thought it was a good idea to take these two through a corn maze. What else did I think was going to happen?

Embrace the Crazy

Almost as quickly, I’m taken aback by their laugher, their smiles and their giggles. Everything comes full circle and I’m giving myself that pep talk. “They’re still learning, calm down, use this situation as a learning opportunity,” I tell myself and I’m back to being present and enjoying the moment.

Even though I’m not necessarily a “new” mom, I’m still learning every day.

One thing my kids continue to teach me is to stop having expectations. Things will probably be a little crazy and one of us may cry. But it’s when you stop expecting everything to go perfectly and just embrace the crazy and the chaos is when you’re really able to enjoy your new normal. At least for the next few years.

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Bonnie
Bonnie is a former Air Force brat who hails from all over. Originally born in Nashville, Tennessee, Bonnie has lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico; Charleston, South Carolina; Biloxi, Mississippi; Eagle River, Alaska and finally settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2002. Currently a single, working mom, Bonnie has two boys 4 and 3 who are conveniently 14 months apart. When she’s not in the throes of juggling multiple roles you will mostly likely find Bonnie in the gym which is like a second home for her and is passionate about health and fitness. She is beyond thrilled to be a part of the incredible team at COSMB and is excited for the opportunity to connect with local mamas!