Look at us. We have no idea what we're in for...
My idea of romance has changed a bit... well a lot, because this happened:
I do love chocolate but I eat it year around so Valentine's Day is no exception. Flowers are nice but not in my messy kitchen. I typically want flowers only if I've cleaned the house and am expecting guests. A night on the town sounds okay but somewhere quiet, low key, nothing fancy and I'm wearing a t-shirt, maxi skirt and flip flops. Dan will most certainly be wearing a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops as well. That's kind of cute that we're so on the same page.
You know what says I love you more than anything? Chores. That's right, we're talking toilet scrubbing, dish washing and laundry folding. You really want to make me swoon? Take the kids for an hour while I browse the aisles at Trader Joe's. Is that sad? I don't think so. That's just my reality.
So this Valentine's Day, I've come up with my top 10 most romantic gifts. Dan has done his fair share of all of these. If everything were ideal, since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I would do all of the housework and kid related duties and he would go to work and come home and handle the man stuff, yard work, fix-it lists etc. That hasn't been the case a lot of the time because when you keep getting pregnant and having babies, things become a bit more challenging. My mind is willing but my body is weak. Dan picks up a lot of the slack. Anyway, just wanted to give you props for that honey! So starting with 10, here it is:
#10 - School drop-offs and pick-ups. Dan actually does this pretty much every day he is home. And I SO appreciate it. Addie is not a great car traveler so this becomes a whole ordeal. I have to pack car snacks and toys for the ride which is only like 10 minutes. But then we have to wait a few minutes for Mya's class to get out. Winter's is a bit easier but I still have to carry the baby in with me and she wants to get down and play so yeah, not super fun. This really should be higher on the list but I'm spoiled and I suppose I've saved the things that are a little more rare for my top picks.
#9 - Make dinner. Again, Dan does this one pretty much every night he's home. I make the salad and sometimes rice or something but he does the bulk of it. I love that it's kind of a team effort with us. And when he takes care of the whole meal including sides and setting of the table, it is SO nice.
#8 - Do the dishes. I didn't used to mind dishes when I first got married because I didn't grow up with a dishwasher so having one made it SO much easier. However, the novelty wore off quickly and the daily scrubbing and loading and unloading of the dishwasher became one of my most dreaded tasks. So when Dan does it for me, it's so sexy! I also have a babysitter that puts the dishes away when she takes care of the kids. She's my favorite ;)
#7 - Give the kids a bath. This includes the baby. The big girls are pretty easy these days. You just have to remind them to focus, wash their hair and body and get out. The baby is a bit more work but super cute. She loves the bath probably more than anything. It doesn't sound like a big deal but it's the last thing I want to do at the end of the day when I'm exhausted. And bending over the tub to wash a slippery baby with my pregnant belly isn't fun these days. So yes, I love it when Dan does it and I don't have to.
#6 - Do a complete load of laundry. Wash, dry, fold, and put away. I actually don't mind laundry. I kind of enjoy it in a weird way. However, there just isn't enough time to keep up with it or remember to switch it over and fold it and put it away. I often come upstairs to go to bed and see a mound of laundry on the bed that I've forgotten about. So when I get help with that, it's one less thing for me to do. Mya loves to fold laundry. And I love her for that.
#5 - Get up in the middle of the night with someone. When you have 3 kids and two dogs, odds are someone is going to need something in the middle of the night. If I don't have to get up, that means I get to go back to sleep with a smile on my face.
#4 - Clean the bathroom. I rarely express my desire for the bathrooms to be cleaned. But they rarely are because I hate it so much. It is definitely my least favorite chore. So yeah, I really appreciate it when it is done for me. We hire people to clean the house a couple of times a year and I get giddy thinking about the sparkly shower and clean white toilets afterward. Oh yeah!
#3 - Take the older girls to the park or somewhere out of the house. This is something that I do because it makes the girls so happy. Going to the park is really not something I look forward to but it is free and local and so good for all of us to get out of the house for a bit. It has become a chore with the baby though. She is not at an ideal age for the park. She wants to climb around with the big kids now. So this pregnant mama doesn't get to sit on the bench and chat with other mamas like she used to. The park is actually a workout these days. The thought of someone else taking them is really lovely.
#2 - Change a diaper, 10 bonus points if it's poopie. Dan does not change diapers. He has a pretty disgusting job at times so he's requested a break from bodily fluids at home which I totally understand. However, poop is still gross each and every time I see it. I thought I would get used to it or not mind it much after a couple of kids but nope. Still gross. Changing a poopie diaper for me definitely says I love you. Yeah baby!
#1 - Watch the kids while I go grocery shopping by myself. This is what I crave daily. I just want to be alone. Doesn't every mom? 20 bonus points if I get to go have a pedicure instead. This kindness will always be rewarded ;)
Yeah, things change. Way less romance but a lot more love! <3
No comments:
Post a Comment