Things I've learned since becoming a mother of two...

*Note: This is not to imply that I have any sort of infinite wisdom on motherhood. Just sharing some thoughts here.

#1) Wet wipes are a mom's best friend. They are the most multi-purpose, invaluable mom tool ever. I must have them with me at all times. Full diaper? Spit-up on my shirt? Runny nose? Grab a wet wipe. Messy dinner table? Sticky hands? Goopy eyes? Take one, go ahead. Dirty spectacles?  Dusty windowsill? Need to give a quick sponge bath in the public restroom (to your kids or yourself)? No problemo. I feel like I should have a belt with a special holster that dispenses baby wipes so they can be readily available at any moment. Lifesavers, those things.

#2) Sometimes, crying makes everyone feel a little better. No matter how old you are, everyone should be allowed a good cry once in a while without someone trying to fix it.

#3) Choose my battles wisely. Do I care if his clothes match today? No. Two more minutes or five more minutes at the park? Always five. Does he really need a bath tonight or can it wait? Depends if I can smell him across the room. Does he have to say sorry every time he fights with a friend? Absolutely. Will one more drink of apple juice make him wet his pants while we're out? Probably, but I'll give him the chance to prove me wrong. Will one more TV show this morning fry his brain? Not literally. Does he have to hold my hand when crossing the street? YES. With such a strong-willed boy, in everything we do around here I have to ask myself "Is it worth the fight?" If I argued with him about every little thing, life would be miserable for both of us. I have to choose what is most important for him to learn and do right now, and the rest will come over time.

#4) Kids live and grow just fine even when they go days in a row eating nothing but microwaved chicken nuggets. For every meal. Because that's what they want and their parents don't have the energy to trick them into eating something else that's fresh and nutritious. Food is food. Thank goodness for gummy vitamins.

#5) The dishes don't always have to be done. Life goes on without clean dishes. The laundry, however, is a never-ending chore that is of vital importance. If Joshua runs out of clean comfortable underwear, the whole day is shot. Same goes for me. And in the parade of spit-up, breast milk, pee sprinklers, and dirty diapers that is my life...well, let's just say nothing stays clean around here for more than about fifteen minutes. Blessed will be the day that we have our own washer and dryer in our own home!

#6) Babies are even more resilient than I thought. There is no need to scold my two-year-old or constantly tell him to "be careful with the baby" unless the baby is actually crying, noticeably uncomfortable or in pain. Nagging him at every interaction with his baby brother is just going to make him feel put off by the experience and make him shy away. Most of Josh's actions toward the baby come with good intentions, and I don't want to ruin those good intentions by making him feel uncomfortable, like he'll break the baby every time he looks at him. In this situation, it's better to encourage good behaviors than to reprimand before any wrong has been done. This is actually some advice I found in the childcare booklet my doctor gave me, and I think it's great.

#7) Toddlers can do more for themselves than you'd expect. Since I've had fewer hands (and fewer active brain cells) lately, Josh has surprised me with the things he can do for himself. He's starting to say prayers, reminds us of the details of his bedtime routine, tries to put on his own pants, helps clean up more messes, reminds me not to say naughty words (like "hate" and "stupid"), climbs into his car seat and starts buckling himself, and fetches things for me from all over the apartment. This morning he poured milk on his cereal without spilling.  He even empties the little pee bowl from his training potty so I don't have to clean it up every time. I feel like he has grown into a big boy so fast! Has he always been this capable? Have I been holding him back? Letting/making him do more for himself lately has definitely lightened my load.

#8) Sometimes, 15 minutes spent building a really freaking awesome race track with your son is worth a lot more than 15 minutes spent researching parenting strategies. For Josh, the transitions from diapers to underwear, naps to no naps, and single child to siblings have come all at the same time. Consequently, his behavior has taken a very expected turn for the worst, and I sometimes find myself feeling so frustrated with him that it's scary. BUT, setting aside some time each day just to have fun with him reminds me what a sweet, silly boy he is, and the lovey dovey feelings come back to me like a full battery recharge. It gets me through the day and makes us both happier people.

#9) Potty training is not the end of the world! The first few days, you may seriously think that your world is falling apart and that there is absolutely no hope for you or your child to ever maintain a social life because you can NEVER leave the house (or more specifically, a 20 foot radius of the training potty) again. But I promise, it will get better. And then, the day will come when you are at the store and your son TELLS you he needs to use the potty, instead of showing you the puddle he made on the floor. And then he will actually make it to the big boy potties without wetting his whole entire outfit. When this happens, you will feel more accomplished than the day you received your college diploma, or the day you fit back into your pre-pregnancy jeans. Seriously, it's a great high, and it's worth all the work.

#10) If every momma had a husband like mine, the world would be a much happier place. That's all I'm gonna say. Except that the dinner he made in that pot the other night was indeed as colorful and delicious as it looks. I'm spoiled! Now I'm done.