Why I Have Kids

A couple weeks ago a world traveling friend posted pictures of her latest adventure to New Zealand and Australia.  They were gorgeous and really got me thinking of how I had always wanted to be a traveler, but how I've ended up two hours away from my home town being a stay at home mom!  I had been having a bad day anyway, with Ingrid peeing all over the place and us both being crabby, and I thought to myself oh my god, why did I have kids???  I could be seeing the world and making all my mom friends envious of my freedom! 

Yesterday answered that question very nicely.  I know the answer is because kids are awesome.  They really can just melt your heart and make you love them more than you ever knew was possible.  They completely change your life and most of the time it is for the better.  But after weeks of wanting to sleep and have a break, I was starting to forget all that.  And then yesterday happened.  Ingrid and I were sitting on the front stoop enjoying the fallish weather.  I was flipping through a magazine and she was babbling away to herself next to me.  Then she leaned over and rubbed my back.  "We're best friends, Mama."  I said oh honey, yes we are!  And she hugged me and said "I love you so much!" 

Talk about melting the heart.  It was just what I needed.  I suddenly remembered that before kids I got a lot of sleep but had never felt the pure joy of something so simple as a small hug.  Or marveling at the dexterity of my 2yo as she built a block tower.  Or watching them be social at the park.  Being a mom is great.  Hard, but great.  And the world will still be there when Ingrid is off to college (and Otis, for that matter!)  Brendan and I will get our time to see the world, and until then we'll just have to enjoy what we have.  A sweet little girl that thinks I'm her best friend!