One Day...

I started this post when Eric and I were going through some trying toddler behavior, especially around sleep (nap and night). As I put the finishing touches on this list, we've been fortunate to have a string of good days. When I began the post, it was really about looking forward to happier, less stressful days. But then I started thinking more about each of the difficult issues, realizing I am fortunate to have these challenging issues in my life. Having it dawn on me (possibly at dawn) that this too shall pass, I began writing the caveat for each challenge. Thus, one day...

One day our daughter will not cry herself to sleep. One day our daughter will not want us reading to her before going to sleep.

One day I will have regular showers. One day I will wish I didn't have to see the muck in the shower on a daily basis, knowing I need to clean.

One day I will not put piece of a candy cane in our daughter's morning "car ride" snack thinking, "ooo! minty fresh breath, that counts as brushing her teeth, right?" One day I won't have conversations about the lake that is dirty on the way to school with our daughter.

One day I will not look at our couch and wonder what bodily fluid still remains embedded in the fabric. One day I will ... hmmm....not sure I will miss this one! Yep, pretty sure.

One day Mabel's jingle jangle of her collar at 3:00 AM will not startle me or the baby so much to rouse us from a slumber. One day I will not have the companionship of Mabel's soft fur and deep brown eyes in the middle of the night, providing reassurance that only a four-legged friend can.

One day I will see a movie again, experiencing the feeling of total escape from reality. One day I will go to a movie and think to myself, "why did I waste my time on that?"

One day I will be able to go to the bathroom by myself. One day I will wish the people helping me in the bathroom were cute, little and told stories about the towels and toothpaste. (I'm hoping I grow weary and old with loved ones caring for me but I'm sure there is some actuary who will tell me something different!)

One day I will get more than 2 hours of sleep in a row each night. One day I will really miss hearing Ethan's mumbles, coughs, coos and snorts beside me, and Camille's need to be covered up again that seem to be timed exactly when Ethan is back in the pack-n-play and I have just put my head on the pillow.

One day I will not feel clausterphobic in our home, as I trip over a space station, a dog (real) and furniture (which serves to remind me of said bodily fluids - see above). One day I will miss Camille saying, "Shall coss WAY!" each time we turn onto our street.

One day I will not have to scrape encrusted raisins off the seats of my car (those were raisins, right?) One day I will be in someone's immaculate vehicle that shimmers and shines and I will think, "how boring!"

One day I will be able to find the bed under all the laundry that has literally quadrupled in volume since Ethan was born. One day I will pass some baby clothes in Target and long for the day of endless washing.

One day I will eat a meal without rushing through it for fear of not eating (a nursing mother HAS to eat!) before a) the baby cries, b) the toddler walks in the kitchen seeing me eating my secret chocolate stash, or c) I have been sitting long enough at the kitchen table to see black bean juice encrusted (why do things have to get encrusted?).

One day I will miss these ages, this home, this part of a wonderful life. But I wouldn't mind having a maid!