I was browsing old photos, remembering the joys of having babies. The chubby wrinkles, the giggles, the soft skin…then I saw all those messes. Not surprisingly, the messes got substantially worse and more frequent after Lucy was born, when David was 20 months and Lizzie 3 years old. That was a fun year. I think I am finally moving past that oh-so-fun stage of “my-kids-are-as-bad-as-tornadoes.” I haven’t had a photographic moment in a few months.
And I had a pretty hard time naming this post.
I thought of – “This is why I know I am done having babies”
or “3 kids in 4 years is no joke”
or even “How many of these can you relate to?”
But I went with “this will make you feel better about yourself” cause it should. I wonder how many moms have the sheer volume of embarrassing photos that I do. Please, laugh with me. It makes me feel like these are not a poor reflection of my abilities, but more a hilarious reflection of the chaos that so many tiny ones all at once will inevitably bring.
Now, you know I have to end this on a happy note. Here is my kitchen, today. While the kids are asleep. Or standing outside so I can take a picture and remember it like this. Just like this.
Jenn says
Hahaha!! I love it!! I only take pictures of the messes sometimes now. My kids are getting older and better about hiding the evidence. 😉
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
oh no. you are saying that it does NOT get better? Here I am, dreaming away of a day when they will obediently put away their things…..or at the very least NOT tear my house to shreds in sheer evil GLEE.
Jessie H says
Hahaha!!! I love knowing that I’m not alone!! Great pics 🙂
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
Thank you SO MUCH. I was kinda worried about posting it. Ya know, worried people would be like “How could she let this happen?” and other nonsense judgery 🙂
Amy @ Oh So Savvy Mom says
Oh, my goodness! It is so nice that we can look back on these times in our lives and laugh!
Crystal says
LOL how funny – I remember all the messes my kids made when they were little and I DO NOT miss it LOL
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
ME EITHER!! LOL!! So glad they are growing up more!
Robin says
OMG – I am laughing so hard over here. Some of those pictures are so darn funny!
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
Robin, that makes me feel so much better about posting them! I was afraid they either were not funny or just made me look like a bad mom 😉
Kristina Vanni says
How lovely to appreciate both the messy moments and fine tuned moments of life! Thanks for sharing!
Judy ~ Overtired Mommy says
I can totally sympathize. I’ve had so many moments like these!
BusyWorkingMama says
I am a super, duper crazy neat freak who gets annoyed is there are crumbs on my counter…and I only have one child who is a mini-me “daddy, why are your shoes right there, don’t you know they go in the closet??” or at age 1.5 she demanded a napkin at her little table and has had once since lest some yogurt would graze her lip. So I am going to block all those images I saw out of my mind’s eye expect for the last one. Clean, nice kitchen. Maybe I’m the one with the issues?? Love the smiling, grubby, painted faces, though! Messes easy to clean! 🙂
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
LOL Aleksandra!! When it was just Lizzie, the messiest she ever got was when I tried to let her get messy. I’m not a neat freak by any means, but these messes got substantially worse and harder to prevent when baby #3 came into the mix. I’d be laying down, trying to nurse Lucy to sleep and then I’d hear *splaaat!!!* cereal all over the floor…..Lizzie was 3 and David 20 months when Lucy was born….that was SUCH a hard and exhausting year!
BusyWorkingMama says
I can’t even imagine with 3 little ones!!!
Eliza Thornton says
😀 You should totally add a linky to this post so we can all share our pictures.
I feel your pain!
I am pregnant with my 3rd due in April. I have a 3 year old and a 15 month old. Things are quite interesting here on a daily basis.
Thank you for giving me no hope of it getting better in the next year and a half. lol!
I stared at the picture of your clean kitchen and dreamed that one day mine would look the same for longer than an hour.
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
Eliza, I bet your kids are just like mine – the 3 year old just encourages the 15 month old to do crazy (messy) games.
I was tempted to do a linky. I really WANT to next time. And yes – it does get better – but this week has been hard for me. Josh has worked super late almost every night, getting home around 9 or 10pm. Since I have to do bedtime, the nighttime cleaning doesn’t get done. So tonight my kitchen floor is covered in toys/coloring pages…dishes are piled up (clean! just need put away – I win LOL). I am putting them to work tonight, now that they are older!
Becca says
I love it, Annie – you don’t often see “real” photos on blogs. I’m guilty of it too. 🙂
Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tired says
Those pictures are great! What memories you will have and it’s wonderful that you can look back and laugh.
Christy Ann says
Oh wow, I honestly thought I was the only mom in the world whose house looks just like that! My toddler’s nickname is Tornado, and there is no way I could ever keep up with him in keeping the house clean. These pics make me feel so much better!! LOL
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
I am so glad my bad experiences made you feel so good LOL! I kid, but in all honesty, I do wish more people would not be afraid to share these. I know the fear – I had it as I put every picture in this post – so scared people will be like “OH! WOW. How could you let them do that?” Well, whatever. Having children comes with risks LOL!!
donna cukjati says
i wish i could of captured you kids childhood in photos there are so many times you guys have fallen asleep in your baby cerial…. hehehe in your baby swings…. in your car seats….. heheheheheh ooooo in the middle of nursings….. nail polish in the eyes…. hehehehe and you know who you are …. hehehehehe LOL>….. LOL….. LOL…… and dresses on and girl shoes on….. o my so many…. and there are still hands on my garage…. i hate to paint over….. i love you kids so much.
mom
ConnieFoggles says
I just laughed so loudly that my husband came running in the room! You’re one brave woman to take and then post these photos even though so many of us have been there, like right now. And I don’t have the “little kids” excuse.
Pamela Halligan says
Loved these photos. I was laughing all the way down the list. One was funnier than another. Thanks so much for sharing.
Raleigh says
Your children are adorable!
Sara @SensiblySara says
In all seriousness, I admire your ability to let your kids be messy. I am so control-freak-ish about no spills or messes.
Jacquie F. says
Lol!! You’re killing me with these! I need to show my husband who will occasionally ask “Do other people’s houses get like this?” YES! And as they get older, you need to get pictures of their rooms (the mess is still there, it just migrates to different areas 😉
Vanderbilt Wife says
Oh my. Not sure I should have looked at this on the verge of having my third in 4.5 years! 😉 My apartment is generally always messy, but those kid-provided messes just get more and more creative the older they get!
Annie @ Mama Dweeb says
hehehehe!!! Yes, life with kids is always messy. And I am so glad that they are starting to get into school and activities – now I keep them so busy and time is so structured that when they get free time to play, they don’t really do these awful things anymore. 🙂