Messy Moments

Some days I wander why I bother cleaning my house. Take tonight for example. We had been out and about all day so the kids and I ate a early dinner and then I bathed them and put them in pajamas thinking we could all settle down and watch a movie before they went to bed. Gianna requested "Halloween" aka The Nightmare before Christmas so before I turned it on I had her pick up all the play food that was dumped out and scattered between the play room, living room and kitchen. After that was done I turned the movie on and the kids were transfixed to the tv. I took this opportunity to sweep and mop the kitchen floor. But of course the tv trance only lasted five minutes before Ethan was crawling after me in the kitchen, getting into my dirt pile and then chasing after my steam mop. I had a floor streaked with baby footprints and I had to stop mopping since I had a baby skidding across my floor. I picked Ethan up and headed back into the living room where I found that Gianna had dumped out two big baskets of toys and had removed all the pillows off the couch and spread them around the room. Sigh

On top of all that I was rewashing a load of laundry that had sat in my washer for two days and I was doing the same with the dishes in the dishwasher. I had two baskets full of laundry that needed to be folded and one load waiting to be put away.

After I put the kids to bed I worked on some more cleaning and laundry and before I knew it it was 9 at night. I looked at my freshly clean floors and the kids toys neatly put away in their place knowing that the minute they wake up all my hard work will have been for nothing

I know that I need to just let it go. For the next few years my house is going to be messy and not as organized or as clean as I would like it to be. But I find it a constant struggle within myself. Some days I don't mind the mess and don;t even bother cleaning after the kids go to bed. Other days I plop them in front of the tv so I can clean all the while feeling guilty for not actively engaging with the kids.

Mommy guilt sucks right!

I just have to keep reminding myself my house that every toy scattered around, every footprint on my clean floor, every paint colored handprint that winds up on my wall instead of the paper is a sign that my kids are having fun and making memories. I need to resist the urge to spend my days cleaning and following them around picking up after them. I need to let them be kids and enjoy the mess. For it is a beautiful mess

I saw this on pinterest and thought this was so true

My kids are not going to remember or care about a clean house, laundry always folded neatly and bathrooms sparkling clean every day. But they are going to remember a house full of love and laughter and a mom that spends time with them and plays with them when they ask her to. Here's to letting go and just enjoying my beautiful mess