I’ve got great kids. Not that they don’t have their quirks, but I love them and would give anything to be able to bottle up this time of their lives in order to keep some of the wonderful moments that they have supplied me. As goofy as they can be, they get along fairly well and have minimal amounts of drama. But with that being said, they do have some bad habits that I’m pretty sure I won’t be missing once they’ve grown up. Let’s take a look at the good & the bad, shall we?
WHAT I WILL NOT MISS…
10. Toothpaste all over the sink.
Seriously…it’s a pretty big sink bowl. How hard is it to get the toothpaste out of the tube, into your mouth and then down the drain? But every night, I go to brush my teeth and there is blue toothpaste caked all over the sink?!? What the holy hell?
9. Socks & underwear EVERYWHERE!
The dirty laundry chute is in the bathroom. I assume they know where it is. I’m pretty sure I have shown them several times. So why is it that I constantly find smelly socks & underwear scattered all over the place? It’s easy to do….enter bathroom, drop down chute! Not hard! Get to it!
8. Toys, toys, toys.
It seems like there are toys in every room, in every corner, in every possible place that you can look. From football equipment lying in the dining room to baby dolls under the kitchen table. There are little “gifts” from my kids everywhere, just waiting to be picked up by the magical “Clean-Up Fairy” that visits our house every night.
7. Forgetfulness
If there is one thing that drives me insane (even more than the previous 3) it’s the number of times I have to repeat myself. When my son can’t find his shoes that are conveniently located 6 feet away from him, he immediately calls out for help. Without even LOOKING for whatever it is he’s….uh….what was I talking about…?
6. The Constant Whining
If I had a quarter for every time I hear “Daaaaaaaad…” I would be the richest man on this planet. And then someday…I will miss that, I’m sure…
WHAT I WILL MISS…
5. “Daddy…can/will you do this for me?”
Yes…it can be a demanding job, but there’s something about when the kids genuinely need me for something that makes me feel whole. It’s what I was put here to do. And once they can do it all themselves, it will be a sad day.
4. Fairy kisses & big bear hugs
Each kid does it differently, but when my daughter gives me a fairy kiss (very softly on the cheek) and when my son wants a big bear hug, it makes my day!
3. Artwork
Is there too much of it? Sure. But every now & then, my son or daughter gives me a colored or painted picture that just makes me think they could be the next Picasso. I wish I could frame them up and keep them all forever.
2. The sound of their laughter
If there isn’t anything that can make my day any brighter than to hear my kids laughing. Whether it’s at each other or because of something I said or because one of them farted (sorry Steph….but it IS kinda funny), to hear them laugh is a special treat.
1. Their innocence
There are so many cruel things happening in our world today. Some horrible and terrible things. But when I look at my kids, I see a brighter future and it really makes my life seem so much more important than it really is. For me, knowing that my children are having a wonderful childhood is one of the greatest things I have ever done in my lifetime. I wish they could always be so innocent, but as we all know…eventually they grow and learn about all the bad stuff. Here’s hoping the “bad stuff” can stay away for a few more years…
A Round World Through Square Glasses 
Now, multiply your entire blog by six!! Son, you have become your father!!! Congratulations, and lots of love from………mom
#10 killed me! What is up with the toothpaste? I’ve had very very long detailed conversations with my husband about this. What do they do in there? Might need hidden camera.
I can agree with all of those. Really.
=) The innocence. Yeah, that would be great to have that back again. 16 yr olds know it all.
Very sweet blog.