Life kinda sucks when the kids are little.

Seriously, it does. I only know this because I am starting to dance on the other side of the “really little kid” line.

I can “see the light” so to speak.

It has felt like the last 9 years of our life have been put on hold. Careers have slowed down to adapt to pregnancy and maternity leave, holidays have changed to suit nursing schedules, and attention spans of little people. Our weekends have molded around toddler friendly activities and included naps and heavily packed backpacks full of quick snacks for little tummies.

And now, with our youngest over three, and our eldest just starting her 9th year, we are starting, just starting, to notice a change. A glimpse of freedom.

And not freedom as in a “we’ve been trapped” way, just freedom into the variety of activities we can get back into.

Longer hikes (still with snacks) and watching “real” movies (by this I mean Harry Potter, not Eye’s wide shut)

And we begin to see what our family with grow into. The sailboat, a dream we had held for years, was finally purchased,  and we know that as we learn to use it, so will our kids grow into the responsibility required for being on it. Skiing becomes easier to manage (albeit more expensive) as a family, with hubby and I actually hitting the slopes together.

Like at the SAME time!

Swimming can become a regular activity as we no longer exceed the parent/child ratio of under 7’s, and while there are more things to clean, and more people to clean up after, there are also more hands on deck to assist. . . and assist without destroying!

Yes, I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it excites me. The thought that we will be able to manage outings one day without the meltdowns, and the constant potty breaks (note here to the bladder gods, I promise I will keep doing kegals if you just help my bladder be strong!!)

And I am grateful to let the past 9 years become the past, thankful that I had them, but bloody glad they are becoming history.

And then, in the light ahead, full of excitement and adventure I see a little sign “teenager at large” and I get a feeling of dread . . . what have we gotten ourselves into?