Monday, November 21, 2011

Just wondering.

In the odd moments of trying to accomplish some chores while home schooling the eldest I started wondering what surprised you about parenting.  You know, things that you never heard about or thought of when you were thinking "I want one of those". 

For instance, it never occurred to me that I would only have male children.  The boys plus the DH and the beast equals five males of some species in my house.  That is a whole lot of testosterone. It also means that no matter what bed I put clean sheets on I still have to watch out that I don't trip over Nerf weaponry or accessories.  Yes, that includes my own because DH has his own weapon pile stashed under the bed.  You just never know when the Nerf war to end all wars will break out.  It also means that all toilet seats are suspect in the up or down position.  Always check before using. 

No where in my day dreams of parenthood did I think of the mounds of paper that goes with children.  School papers, reports and projects.  Art work times three.  Medical forms and information that needs a place to live until the next ER visit.  And then there are the artistic masterpieces you find taped to your bedroom wall from your very own Picasso.  You know, that one room in the whole house that is supposed to be your sanctuary?  How to store and when to toss.  And when do you find the time to sort through all that paper?

Toys!!!  Never did I realize three children could own, use all at one, and dismantle so many toys.  Not being the queen of organization the toys are going to be the death of me if the paper doesn't kill me first. 

Food.  It never occurred to me that one large roast and 3 pounds of potatoes might not last most of the week before children.  In the not to distant future I will have three teenage sons.  Can anyone say second frig and freezer?

Noise!  Three boys tend to attract other boys at this age.  Boys like to play war games, wrestle and out yell each other.  Great things for running off energy when outside.  But on cold, rainy days all those boys come inside and go upstairs (if I'm lucky) and work out their energy.  Crashing bodies on the second floor sound like elephants on the bottom floor.  It makes the glasses in my kitchen cabinets rattle.  That is when I pull out the secret chocoate stash.  Winter is looming.  Time to head out to Godiva again.

None of these are earth shaking issues but it always amazes me how much I did not know or think of before children.  Maybe some of these are because I was an only child and a girl.  We are a different species. 

What amuses or amazes you about parenthood? 

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