Scooby Snacks (Sort of)

Before I had kids I would never have eaten a package of "Fruit Flavored Snacks" in SpongeBob SquarePants shapes. But I did tonight. And they were tasty. Mmmm Mmmm good. Before I had kids, we went through a stick of butter and a dozen eggs about every two months, now, I shop for both on a weekly basis. Little growing bodies need fat to grow on. Before I had kids I would clean my living room in the morning and return home to that same spotless house. These days, a tidy space transforms to chaos in a matter of mere seconds. Seconds. Before I had kids I had long hair, died to a shiny sun-bleached shade of blond that I flat-ironed on a daily basis. Today I haven't enough hair to be styled at all. Before I had kids I would take a walk with the husband under a sky full of stars and return home at 11pm, just in time for bed. Today, I can't leave the house past 8:00. We have blessed, sleeping responsibilities upstairs. Before I had kids I would join my colleagues for happy hour after work. We gossiped and griped about the day and drank our blues away. These days I rush home as soon as the clock strikes 5pm. Little mouths to feed. A nanny who needs to be relieved.

Before I had kids life was simple. Life was about me. What I needed.

I can't lie. That was nice. At times, I miss it terribly.

But before I had kids, I never knew how it felt to be admired and loved so wholly. Before I had kids there was no one who would beg for more tickles and demand for my arms screaming "Uppy!". Before I had kids my refrigerator was stark and barren, no homemade artwork to clutter it's surface. Before I had kids I never experienced the wonder of a child learning to read and write.

Before I had kids life was quiet, life was mine. And yet, I have learned so much from the wee-ones, and along with the fuss, the tantrums and the mess comes the joy. So much joy. And the freaking awesome fruit flavored-SpongeBob Squarepants snacks.