Whoa! My Parenting Rules Changed! Fifteen Things Since Baby#4

Once I passed over the threshold of having three children I realized that some of the parenting rules had changed.  When my oldest son was little he was an only child and as busy as I was being his mother, I can tell you the house was a LOT cleaner than it is today.  I also wasn't late very often, I never missed an opportunity to take him to one of his friend's birthday parties, we ate out a lot more, his clothes were new, and I was able to keep up with the laundry.

At the end of this past school year, not only was I late (due to two diaper blowouts in the parking lot) to my preschooler's last day of school, but when I arrived, all the moms were crying and I asked ,"Why are you guys all so upset?" I was imagining a death in someone's family, but was met with,"Oh, this is their last day together." My confusion immediately turned into embarassment.  What a horrible mother I was that I too wasn't sad.  Well, maybe I would have been if it hadn't been for the diaper blowouts, baby girl strapped to my chest, and bam-bam my two year old son pulling on my arm.  I was a little distracted these days, and it was probably a blessing. I couldn't help but think back to when my fifteen year old graduated from preschool and I was nuts about not missing a second! How things had changed!  Luckily, my crying friends looked at me with those pitiful eyes and just waved off my ignorance as they had been doing all year.

I am not the same mother I was all those years ago, and that's okay.  We're supposed to adapt to the needs of our children no matter how many we have, right?  I do know the rules have changed a bit though.

Here are my top fifteen things I've learned since the arrival of baby #4:

1)  It is impossible to keep all toys in their place at any given time.  As a matter-of-fact, I'm convinced they reproduce if in one place for too long, so scatter them about!
2)  It is not only okay to arrive an hour late to a birthday party but sort of expected, and really just considered great that you made it at all!
3)  It is okay for my kids to miss brushing their teeth every now and then.  They're baby teeth after all - they'll fall out anyway, right?
4)  If my boys can still see out from under their hair, it doesn't need to be cut yet.
5)  It's okay for my two year old's wardrobe to consist entirely of hand-me-downs.  Ooh ooh, I have become a "green" mom!
6)  I'm pretty convinced that a pop-tart is a nutritious start to the day.  The box says it contains wheat, milk, egg, and soy.  Doesn't get much better than that!
7)  It's okay to occasionally forget to send in a required item to school for your child.  You are "that mom with all those kids" afterall.  That works for me!
8)  If one kid gets sick, cease all cleaning immediately.  The faster everybody gets sick, the faster you'll all get better...because you KNOW everyone will catch those nasty preschool germs anyway.
9)  There's no use crying over spilled anything - it's a daily occurrence.  Dogs are very useful here.
10) The five-second rule automatically gets revamped to whatever mom deems appropriate at the moment.
11) It's okay for everyone's drawers to be empty, the clean clothes are all folded and stacked on top of the dining room table.  Much easier to find, right?
12) It's okay to leave the dishes in the sink and the house a disaster and go play with your kids outside.  The Pope even just recently instructed parents to spend more time outdoor with their kids. That leaves less time for cleaning - woohoo!  I knew I liked this Pope!
13) It's okay for baby's first foods to include big brother's green lollipop as recently discovered!
14) It's okay for the kids to skip their nightly bath every once in a while - especially if it means they'll all be in bed sooner!
15) It's NOT okay to not live in the moment and embrace each spill, sickness, ridiculous conversation, hug, or kiss whenever it comes along!

Happy parenting and may God bless you and your families - no matter the shape or size!