As I got home from work an hour or so ago, I settled down with a cup of coffee and my ipad, intending to check a few emails before heading off to do the groceries. We have been on the Gold Coast for the last four days (two longer than expected, if there hadn’t been a washing machine in the apartment, this tale would be even more dire), and, laid low with a heavy cold, I studiously ignored the unpacking left to be done, the chaos from the pre-daycare-run breakfast, a basket of washing to be hung out (who knew a committed shop-o-phobe could be cured by birthing two really cute kids), and a bag of rubbish bound for the big bins on my way out.
At the top of my email list was Em’s post at The Beetleshack: “My Life is a Recalcitrant Toddler“. I love the word recalcitrant. Anyway, Em details all the lovely and not-so-lovely things in her day that is filled with three small children. Jammed firmly in the trenches of hardcore parenting, Em has a knack for documenting the delight as well as the downright dreariness of the endless hamster wheel that is motherhood with a cheeky yet beautiful voice. Her days are just like a toddler, she says. Sometimes earnest and beautiful and slaps your heart straight up, other times muddy, snotty and obstinate.
At the end, she asked her readers if their lives are like toddlers too – are our faces, cars and homes just as messy as hers?
Yep.
Jessi Glauser says
August 28, 2013 at 11:41 amThis is my life with 4 small people tailing my most every movement!Right now two who are yet to go to school are in the yard and have the taps going on and off so they can wet their chalk art.Let us ignore that daddy just cleaned that exact patio over the weekend…and I am the one with the snotty nose!
Veggie Mama says
August 28, 2013 at 2:15 pmhahaa me too! Am leaving a trail of tissues all over the place. Sigh.
Lisa Mckenzie says
August 28, 2013 at 1:49 pmIt doesn’t matter what age they are Stacey they ALL leave messes behind them.I am a bit over cleaning it up at the moment I have a sick husband as well and we all know they are like a 2year old as well.Get better soon hon,maybe we should all go on strike!
Veggie Mama says
August 28, 2013 at 2:15 pmhaha I hear ya! Let’s go halves in a cleaner x
The beetle shack says
August 28, 2013 at 1:56 pmUmm hellooooo!!! You have just MADE my day. True, it wouldn’t have been hard given that my car battery died this morn and I only realised after I’d loaded the kids into the car (naughty). The day has been a disaster but huzzah- here yiu are showing me your mess.
Thanks sister!
Veggie Mama says
August 28, 2013 at 2:14 pmAnd I’m refusing to clean it too. It will look like this until tomorrow!
Silly car battery. You suck.
Lornie says
August 28, 2013 at 2:15 pmI’m glad I’m not the only one, I wish I could show you my house right now. Babies + Stressed out mama = untidy house. My husband keeps telling me to relax about it, but there is something about a rug that need vacuumed that drives me insane!
Veggie Mama says
August 28, 2013 at 2:17 pmIf I can see or feel ONE SPECK on the floor, I get twitchy. I loathe messy benches and crumby floors, but I’m trying to ease up. The toys I can handle, the kitchen sink dishes I can not!
I hope you destress soon x
Erin @ Eat Play Bond says
August 28, 2013 at 2:27 pmThank you! I am currently flicking through the pages of the new Ikea catalogue just because it is neater and far more orderly than my actual surroundings.
Veggie Mama says
August 28, 2013 at 2:33 pmHa I came home from our fancy hotel thinking I was going to throw out everything I own! It was just so sleek and clean and I keep thinking if I have less shit lying around, then I might feel like I’m in a nicer house!
missandmisters says
August 28, 2013 at 7:58 pmI feel like my kids are constantly shedding, not hair (obvs), but STUFF: toys, bits of clothing, leaves, food, gunk, books, crayons, various peices of cutlery, Lego, costumes bits of nothing. Like they have these kangaroo pouches filled to the brim and every step they take around the house, bits just fall out. There’s three of them and one of me and I am no match.
Also, thanks for getting me onto The Beetleshack… I know where I’ll be spending the next hour. X
Veggie Mama says
August 29, 2013 at 11:18 amOhhhh there’s no returning from The Beetleshack! I too have fallen down the rabbit hole 🙂
We need a dustbuster for small toys and things, that suck them up and deposit them in a bag we can sort out later!
Talia Carbis says
August 29, 2013 at 11:27 amHaha, this is what our whole house looks like at the moment. I have dedicated as much of today as possible to cleaning it all up!
Veggie Mama says
September 22, 2013 at 12:51 pmI am doing that these holidays!
Leah Haynes says
August 29, 2013 at 11:33 amThis looks so familiar and my little one cant even crawl yet. Maybe its the couch pillow and what reminds me of a burb cloth… where I spend most of the day at the moment. Well apart from getting her to nap, just spent 30 mins doing that and as she went to sleep the neighbour turned on his air compressor. But who would have thought, it worked like a charm! Might have to ask him to leave it on for an hour longer while I check out the Beetle Shack….
Veggie Mama says
September 22, 2013 at 12:51 pmHa I had someone who used to fire up a chainsaw… and woke them STRAIGHT UP OMG I HAD ONLY JUST PUT ON THE KETTLE!