she is so right...

The other day I was emailing back and forth with a customer who ordered some adorable train invitations and thank you notes for her son's birthday. She knew that we were out of town last weekend for a wedding so she emailed to ask me how it went. My response was short and sweet. It was fun, but so exhausting and I was glad the weekend was over. She is also the mother of two children and responded by saying how it was funny that the most simple of things pre-children were now so much work and so exhausting. I thought about that for a minute and realized how true it was.

Take the wedding for instance. I used to love going to weddings. Hell what is not to love, free food, free booze, free band and you get to see lots of new friends or old friends or no one you even know. Josh and I have always had a great time at weddings. I love to get dressed up and go. Okay really I will not even try to lie, I really love the party food. Now with kids, it is a hassle. I have never brought my kids to a wedding, but have been to one without them and backed out of going to two because of them. Granted being from New Orleans originally and now living in Mississippi all of the weddings have been out of town, which adds even more stress to attending weddings post kids. Not only do you have to find sitters, go over bed time routines, make schedules, and fear them never going to sleep or crying all night, but you also have to pack for those kids too. Pack and plays, bottles, clothes, toys, blankets, and the list goes on and on and on.

Then there is going out to eat. We still do this one a lot, but it is a hassle. Not a big enough hassle to stay home and cook though. But dinner pre-kids was wonderful. You could go anywhere you wanted without giving a second thought to kids menus or if there was something in the restaurant that looked remotely close to noonles and cheese! I did not have to load a bag full of distractions or ask for colors and cups with lids either. Those were the days. Granted we have dined with Meredith and Noah since they were wee babies. Long before the nice pediatrician recommended we bring them in public, so I like to say my kiddos know how to behave in restaurants. Meredith knows she cannot for any circumstances get out of the high chair until we leave. But it can still be a hassle.

Then the grocery store. Do I even need to go there? Any mom who has kids, especially 2 under 2, knows the hassles of the grocery store and the damn buggies that have no room for your groceries once you have both kids in the buggy! Besides I did not like the grocery very much before I had kids....why would I like it after?

The mall...one of my favorite places now. Why? I know that no matter what time I go, or who is with me, or how quick I am in the mall, we are sure to put one tantrum on display for all to see. It NEVER fails. It is just the way it is and I have learned to accept it. I am really not a mall person I only go when I have to get something and most of the time I never find it or as Josh said buyers remorse kicks in and I return it. But now I avoid that place like the plague. I save all my mall needs up for one day and run quickly with someone else in tow, normally Mimi, go quickly and leave.

Dinner time....Oh how I love dinner time. I love to eat. Dinner time has always been one of my favorite times of the day. However now I dread it. I still like to eat, but since kids have arrived it is my least favorite. I do lunch and breakfast solo with two kids and do not make half the mess that occurs during dinner. I guess it is all Josh's fault. For some reason after dinnertime my kitchen is worse than destroyed. Especially if said husband cooks. Which is not often. I clean as I go, but it never fails that it looks like a bomb went off as soon as the meal is over. My daughter who eats lunch and breakfast with no problem, thinks dinnertime is the perfect time to throw all the inedible items (broccoli, carrots, green peas, anything healthy or meat) off of her plate and onto the chair, floor, brownie, the wall or really wherever it lands. Then Brownie, who takes on the job of a Hoover, licks and eats most of the inedible items leaving a trail of drool and slobber from one end of the house to the other. Okay I am moving on now, because it is almost dinner time and I am starting to get queasy.

And really the list could go on, so tell me.....what has become more difficult in your house since having kids???