I haven’t done a motherhood update in a bit because I wasn’t sure how much of my life and the season I am in would resonate with our followers. If nothing else, this post is for me because I like to write down my thoughts about the stage I’m in from time to time so I can come back and reread these years from now.
I used to do motherhood updates when my kids were very young.. like baby young.. so I could go back and remember how sweet, exhausting, fleeting, and beautiful it was. Because in the moment it’s really hard to see. Honestly, I do wish I could go back to when I only had my sweet Jackson and relive those sleepless days and nights. Cammy was the easiest little babe to ever live and now I just want him to want to hang with me lol. And Parker.. a lot of our followers have been here since we announced him and now he’s a walking, talking Scorpio to his core who don’t give a (fill in the blank).
I don’t remember the last time I rocked any of them to sleep. I don’t remember switching from formula to milk. I don’t remember sleep training (actually I do cuz we are all scarred fo lyfe). I don’t remember most of it because sleep deprivation will strip you of the memories. What I am left with are three boys ages 3, 5 and 7 who have big personalities and are busier than ever. So here’s what we’ve been up to:
Jackson
My 7 year old is the most emotional of them all. And remember, I have a three year old. But he’s by far in the easiest and funnest stage we’ve ever been in because SPORTS. I remember being about one of two places growing up: the dance studio or a sports field because I had 2 brothers. I feel as though I was born to have boys because I thrive at the field. I mean yeah I’d be a great stage mom if I had a daughter but being a soccer/baseball/basketball/football/golf mom is pretty damn fun. There is no place I’d rather be than watching them play a sport they love.. and Jackson has a love for them all (soccer is taking a minute because he joined a competitive team with kids who breathe, eat, sleep soccer and he doesn’t). He’s on a golf team at our country club and I’ve never seen my husband beam with more pride than watching Jackson on the course. He just started back up with baseball with the kids in our neighborhood and there is no doubt in my mind that watching him play ball is my favorite. Lots of Mariners games to be seen this season! Football might take the crown in his mind but only time will tell. For now he has a love for every game and that’s exactly how it should be at this age. We make everything FUN. Even though I am STRESSED on the inside at games.. trying to keep my composure so I don’t get kicked out. But sports have taken over our household and shuttling him to practice has only just begun. I am screwed when all three are signed up for the same sports every season.
Cammy
The 5 year old monster should be studied by scientists. He requires little to no sleep and has energy for days.. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it on the black market. He just doesn’t get tired or emotional from lack of sleep. Cool as a damn cucumber that Cammy. I have a special bond with all three of my boys but Cammy is the toughest nut to crack. I wish I could spend more 1:1 time with him but he honestly prefers his older brother over anyone. Even when we have alone time, he’s asking for Jackson. He loves me but just doesn’t need me like the other two. Jackson needs me emotionally, Parker needs me physically but Cammy doesn’t really need either even though I try to give him everything. I know he will at some point but right now, he just goes with the flow and is pretty dang easy. He was going to speech therapy but after seeing a new specialist, she assessed that he doesn’t actually need it and that his little impediments will correct themselves with age. But I still work with him daily and make sure he’s practicing annunciating his words. He started back up with t-ball and is a natural born athlete but we will see if sports stick with him through his adolescence. He might prefer art or theater or just something totally different from his older brother.. or not! It’s hard to know but right now, he wants to be just like Jack but has his own interests too. Developing into a pretty funny kid with the sweetest disposition. We had some difficult days at school last year.. some kid named Charlie really gave him a run for his money.. but now I don’t hear about him getting into any trouble. He wants to be in Kindergarten so badly and can’t wait to join Jackson at school next year so he’s been on his best behavior. My empty threat was that if he kept acting out at school he didn’t get to go to Kinder. Love this age where they believe anything you say. Also I think Charlie left the school lol.
Parker
Oy. Parky is 3 and FIYAH! A true psychopath to his core but cute, funny, goofy, and he throws in the occasional sweet. But mostly a monster who stomps around asking for THE WORLD with a moments notice. He sets me up for failure constantly. The moon? Grab it! Oh you can’t? Try harder, mom. We are working on whining…or how to stop whining I should say.. and patience, for which he has NONE. He just repeats himself over and over and over again until he gets what he wants. It’s effective, though. I almost signed this child up for t-ball this season and let’s just give a collective PRAISE that I didn’t. He has a very hard time following directions if it goes against what’s in his stubborn brain and is defiant as all hell. But he snuggles and cuddles still, loves his Lamby and if we lost Lamby the world would officially END, and is the best most annoying little brother anyone could ask for lol. None of us would trade our Parky except for maybe Cameron but overall, happy he’s here. All kidding aside, he really is the cutest. He’s a firecracker who’s gonna give me a run for my money as the baby because I am just so exhausted that I don’t caaaaare. Yes, you can have a cookie for breakfast. Yes, you can stay out til midnight. Kids gonna have no rules and it is what it is. Swiping my credit card until he’s 40. It’s fine.
They’re all a little insane in their own right but what I have heard from each of their teachers is that they are polite young boys who say please and thank you, love their classmates, are kind, and work hard. I’m like we talkin about the same kid?! They act up at home because it is their safe place and the only thing I could ever hope is that they’re respectful of their teachers. How they act outside the home is a reflection of me and I feel very proud when I hear them praised for their behavior at school or at playdates. They are going to mess up, make mistakes, get in fights as they grow up and I am the first to admit that they aren’t angels. But we surround ourselves with friends and parents who raise their kids the same and know they’re going to get into trouble and it’s never just one person to blame. At the end of the day, I just hope and pray I have a relationship with all three of them where they feel comfortable telling me about their problems.
Ok that got deep and we’re done with that so here’s what a typical week day looks like in this animal house:
6:30 am: Jack and Cam are up, come downstairs and watch tv or their ipads. My husband gets up first to workout and sauna so he will “make them” a bowl of cereal or whatever.. french toast, pancakes, fruit but usually cereal does the trick + a protein bar. The bar is low.
7 am: I wake up and do the Wordle of the day (I am past the days of alarm clocks.. I rise with the sun!) and can typically hear Parker yelling, ”Mommy mommy mommy mommy mommyyyyyyyy!” Hold on sweetie I’m trying to figure out the Wordle!!! He’s still in a crib and never being moved. Trapped. Forever. Kidding but it’s nice that he wakes up and chills and waits for me. If he’s up before 7 my husband will grab him. Or won’t. And eventually we make our way into his room. Third kid. Raising himself.
7:30-8:30: I will finish up with breakfast for all three, put dishes away, prep their backpacks for the day, and load the car. I make beds, get clothes laid out, and clean up the kitchen. They have a good hour to chill and get ready and I will typically make my way into the gym to at least walk and get my steps in. If I can squeeze in my full workout, I do but if nothing else I just walk, go through emails, and peruse Instagram or Pinterest.
8:30: Out the door for school drop off. BYEEEEEEE baby gorgeous (a Real Housewives of SLC reference. IKYKY)!!
9:00 am-2:45 pm: Let Freedom Ring! I have from 9-2:45 to do what I want. And I will never apologize for being in this stage of life because I have put in the WERK. By freedom I mean going to Costco or Whole Foods solo. Sometimes I’ll get to yoga or pilates, which I have been loving recently. Or I will come straight home after drop off and clean, organize, purge, go to Goodwill and donate all the boys toys because they aren’t home, and do laundry while I have Temptation Island or Bridgerton on in the background. It’s a glamorous life. This is also when I get my writing for the blog done and posting to LTK and Insta.
3-3:30 pm: Pick up route at their two different schools and home. Sometimes McDonald’s. Most days McDonald’s.
4:00 pm: Pour a wine and make dinner while the boys play. If it’s not raining, I force them outside to run, shoot hoops, jump on the trampoline, or ride bikes with their friends across the street. I feel lucky that my boys are built in besties and want to hang out with each other all day. Yes, they fight because there are three of them. It’s bound to happen but for the most part, they are BROS.
5:00 pm: Eat dinner as a family. We have made a conscious effort to put all phones and tablets away and the five of us eat dinner together. Some days are better than others but both my husband and I grew up eating dinner as a family. Super important to us. Wasn’t always this way and some nights we let things slide but for the most part, trying to instill this at a very young age.
5:30-7 pm: Chill as a fam.. a movie, a show, my husband wrestling the children nice and calmly. Typical. Super zen.
7:15 pm: UPSTAIRS! Big boys get themselves ready for bed while Parker runs around telling me I can’t catch him, which lasts for a solid 10-15 minutes. Every night. Remember that whole 3rd child thing? Monster. Does whatever the f he wants. Whenever he wants. Things usually escalate and I give him 100 warnings and he finally says goodnight to his brothers for the 30th time, we read a book, sing a song and SEE YA when the sun rises brotha. My husband and I tag team bedtime but I can usually get it done in 10 minutes by myself lol. My husband dilly dally’s and wrestles and plays and is the fun dad while mom lays down the hammer. I’ll own the title, though. I want to watch a show, read, or get in the bath and wind down.
8:00 pm: We are usually in bed and watch a show and lights are out by 9 cuz we old. I wash my face and do my whole nighttime routine, have my Calm tea, take my vitamins, brush teeth all that. I have red light bulbs in our bedroom so it’s super chill and calm. No bright lights before bed. Except we do watch tv but I heard on a podcast that it’s fine as long as you’re far away from the TV and watching something super mindless and stress free. So like not Game of Thrones. We usually watch Beat Bobby Flay or House Hunters and by we I mean me cuz my husband falls asleep. Or I’ll read, which really puts me to sleep.
9-9:30 pm: lights out! My oura ring is v happy with me 🙂
There you have it.. what my days look like 9 times out of 10. If you see me posting lunch with a friend, a spa appointment or a nail appt, it’s once every few weeks 😉 Instagram vs. Reality.
Xx, Heather
Love this ❤️ Thank you for sharing ❤️
Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it!