5 Things I took for Granted Before I had Kids

  

I LOVE my boys, I really do, but lately most days are a constant blur of mess & noise, tears & tantrums (sometimes mine) ok, mostly mine!

 Life is chaotic & crazy with kids, it’s full on & there’s not a lot of “down time.” Sure it’s fun & fulfilling too, they continue to amaze & surprise me & make me smile everyday (yes even through the tears) but sometimes I’ll find myself looking back on my life before kids & wish I’d appreciated some of the things I took for granted just a little bit more.

1) My time – being able to do what I wanted, whenever I wanted, without needing to work around little peoples feeding/sleeping schedules.  I use to be able to sit & read a good book for hours uninterrupted (I can’t remember the last time I even picked up a book lately) Organising to meet a friend for a coffee or dinner on the spur of the moment & then being able to enjoy that time together without watching the clock & having to rush off to get back home. Shopping for clothes, taking the time to browse and actually being able to TRY ON a bunch of different things in a change room as opposed to holding an item of clothing up to myself & thinking “yep that’ll do” as Peanuts running off & Pumpkin starts crying & squirming around in the pram. Even just the little luxuries like having a long shower (without having to decide, should I wash my hair or shave my legs today because I don’t have time to do both) or going to the bathroom without an audience & a billion (sometimes inappropriate) questions would be nice once in awhile.

2) Travelling light – leaving the house to go anywhere before kids was easy. I picked up my handbag with all my essentials (phone, keys, wallet & water) & walked out the door. These days you’d think I was going on a mini holiday with the amount of crap I carry around just to go out for a couple hours to the local shopping centre or park. 

3) Sleep – I always thought I was tired BEFORE. If anyone asked me how I was, my stock standard reply would be “good, but tired!” Oh man how I miss the days of 8-9 hours of uninterupted sleep & weekend sleep ins, when funnily, I thought that wasn’t enough. Ha! Surviving on 3-4 hrs of broken sleep a night these days I’d happily take that before kids “tired” feeling any day. I didn’t  know the meaning of the word TIRED until I had kids!

 4) Having proper, fully engaged & complete conversations – Being constantly interrupted (although at least he says “excuse me”- small parenting win, yay) or sidetracked by watching out for whatever mischief the boys are currently getting up to & yelling out random things, mid conversation “get off your brother” “put your pants back on” “stop that” & “don’t do that” are the norm these days if you talk to me. Im sorry. I’m lucky if I can finish a thought, string a sentence together, make any kind of sense, follow the conversation & not sound like I have Tourette’s. 

5) Peace & Quiet – I could sit & read a book, the paper, a magazine without having to re-read the same paragraph 5 times. I could watch tv or a movie without having to pause, rewind or turn up the volume multiple times. I could relax & listen to music or just zone out & think in complete & utter silence. It was bliss. Now I have the constant background noise of shrieks, squeals & screams, along with loud, LOUD banging or dropping & throwing of toys 24/7. Sometimes the noise is cute chatter & laughter, reading/telling stories or singing, (which is a bit cute!) but more often than not, it’s the kind that makes me want to go & put my head between 2 pillows to drown it out! Kids are LOUD & there is no volume control.

However, if you can’t beat em, join em! So I’m off to go bang on some pots and pans & join in the boys musical kitchen band. 

  
  
                         Lozzie x

Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you had til it’s gone. Are there things  in life you take or took for granted? Is there something you miss from your life, pre kids? I’d love to hear in the comments or come say hi over on Facebook  & Instagram