It’s 5:24 AM.
I just poured myself a freshly brewed cup of coffee.
Then I hear it….surely not….was that?….no wait……..
Yes. That was definitely my 1 yr old.
At 5:24 AM.
REALLY???
He’ll go back to sleep, right? He has his blankie…that should be enough, right?
…..mmooOOm….
yeah. that wasn’t a sleepy sounding “mom” either. He’s fully awake…..needing his mom.
That would be me, right?
That would be a very weak “yes”, with head shaking “no”. (go ahead, try it!)
WHY?? oh whyyy? At 5:24 AM?
And this is only after a late night, up a few times, aching back, no shower in 36 hours, going on 4 day hair….
What are my options? (1) Get the child, or (2) have the others wake as well.
I get the child.
For a second, his uncontained joy at seeing my face, thrilled my heart. His arms squeezing my neck are too precious for words.
Then I smelled it…..PEE.
Then I felt it…..soaking into my shirt. My CLEAN shirt, by the way.
It’s 5:25 AM.
I changed him, wondering how so much pee got on his blanket but so little was in his diaper.
I want to wash the smelly blanket, but removing it from his clutch resulted in a meltdown sure to wake the dead.
It’s 5:26 AM….I’m pretty sure I hear the other two waking up.
So, I let him have the blankie. Yes, the smelly, peed, sad looking blankie that brings him so much comfort.
I found a dry end and wrapped it around his little body, and held it against his cheek. Holding him tight, speaking “I love you’s”, his big blue eyes pools of adoration for me….
his mom.
The wet end lay on my legs away from him, seeping it’s saturation into my sweats.
That’s normal, right? If not, it’s still OK, right? Whatever works, right? It’s all good, they say, right?
Please, someone tell me I’m RIGHT!!!
If getting soaked in your child’s pee isn’t normal, please tell it’s normal to be sitting in my living room at now 5:29 AM, wondering how a dirty plate, a pair of boots, dirty wadded up socks, a pillow spilling it’s guts, a dirty shirt, the toilet brush…..YES, the toilet brush….have landed in the maze of yesterdays toys, crayons, books, and more toys.
That’s all normal, right? Especially the toilet brush, right? While getting soaked with pee, right?
“Right Lord? It’s 5:31 AM now and I want to cry, but I’m right, aren’t I? THIS is OKAY and I’m right. Right?”
“Right.
Yes, dear mom, you are right. THIS is normal….THIS is OK….THIS is good….THIS….is right.
It is VERY right.”
Then it dawned on me……
I am like my child’s smelly blanket. I get laid on, sat on, slobbered on, cried on, PEED on, squeezed, twisted, pulled, yanked on and right now, I smell. Occasionally, I get washed, (aka, showered) and it all happens again.
But, my kids don’t care that I stink as a mom or literally, from having no shower. Like a blankie, I am their comfort. Their soft, warm, lovable place. Their kind, gentle, strong hero.
Yes, their hero. Their smelly hero.
I might not always be right, but I’m right where He wants me…in the middle of this chaos, loving on His heritage.
Right here…..right now….right for them…..
And it’s alright…
it is all right…
All of it.
Sharing with….Managing Your Blessings, Create With Joy, A Proverbs 31 Wife, Moms the Word, Life of Faith, Marriage Motherhood &Missions, Soul Survivor, A Mama’s Story, Looking at the Rays of Grace & Joy, The Wellspring, Cornerstone Confessions, Our Life on a Budget, Teaching What Is Good, Rich Faith Rising, Juana Mikels, Winsome Wednesdays, Holley Gerth, Living From Glory to Glory, Wake Up Wednesdays, Rachel Wojnarowski, Serving Joyfully, Jenni Mullinix, 3D Lessons for life, Graced Simplicity, Jennifer Dukes Lee, Thursday Thoughts, Everyday Jesus, Nancherrow, Amandas Books, Unite, Cornerstone Confessions, The Time-Warp Wife
In spite of all the talk about stinkiness, I think this is so sweet. It's the toughest job on earth, but being a Mom is also the most bestest (I know it's not a word) job on earth as well. You did a great job capturing all of it and I, of course, shed a few tears as I neared the end. It's so good to know God is in it all. I've been there and done it (and hallelujah, they
Hi Sandra! I like you! 🙂 Thank you for understanding. I had to smile at "most bestest" because that's what my children say to me and about me. I'm learning to not be so hard on myself. It's all good when done for His glory the best we know how, in the situation we are in. He gives grace! Thank yoi for sharing with your daughter! Blessings to you both!
Beautiful!
Well written. How many of us moms have been there and done that. It is love. Now, if your child could write on your blog what would he say: 5:25…all alone and wet. Nobody loves me. I cry. 5:25 Mommy! Oh there she is. Everything is all right with the world. Wet, but loved. – – – – – – – -Kaylene, you picked up on something beautiful here. God's love! You see if we cry in the night alone,
Chris, THANK YOU!!! I want to hug you, right now. I hadn't been able to see it from my son's viewpoint yet! I needed this! Thank you! Blessings to you!
This made me laugh, and cry! I needed this encouragement today. Thank you.
Glad you were encouraged, Heather! Blessings to you, dear momma!
Love the blanket analogy. It's so easy to forget during those exhausting moments how much we do mean to our little ones. They don't care what we look like, how we smell. They just know that we're there. <br />Angela @ Time with A & N
…and that's all that matters. To them…to God…and I'm learning, to me, too. Slowly, but I'm learning it! 🙂 Have a beautiful day, dear momma!
So beautifully written. Is it crazy that I could smell the smelly? I breathed a prayer for you Kaylene for even though I'm in the last 7 months of my mothering, I remember the exhaustion even in the midst of mothering joys.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />Pamela
Pamela, you're a motherhood survivor!!!! That gives me hope! lol Thank you for your prayers! And, no it's not crazy that you caught a whiff of the smelly! I'm pretty sure I won't forget it…might actually miss it someday, I keep thinking. Someday….MAYBE! 🙂
You are RIGHT and I am so glad you shared this at Thrive at Home…beautifully written and reading it was a great way to start my day…..I miss those pee filled mornings….
Hi Wendy! Thank you for reading! Glad you were encouraged! You too, are RIGHT for your children, then and now. Blessings to you, dear momma!
Visiting from Thoughtful Thursdays. As mom to a 7yo and 10yo, all I can say is those days eventually pass! It seems so long ago I was in the trenches – and being peed on, barfed on, etc. – but it was only a few years past.
Hi Katy! Right now I long for the days you're in, but like you, I know I'll miss these times. Precious times, indeed….some days it's just harder to see than others! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by! Blessings!
It's been awhile since I've had little ones, so this can make me smile instead of feel frustrated. ha. Yes, Mom, you're doing right! All of it. Thanks for sharing this glimpse into your life, Kaylene.
OH. MY. GOSH. This absolutely cracks me up AND it makes me want to shout AMEN! As I type this comment, my tiny human (almost 15 months old) has already woken up from a way-too-short nap. And I am not thrilled. But thankful for these "normal" life moments. Thanks for this much needed reminder, lady.
Oh, bless you. I remember these days. And aren't there days when I wouldn't trade these teenage troubles for the sleepless nights? But I'm praying rest for you, Kaylene. It's always something when we're parents 🙂
It's always something, for sure! While I look forward to days beyond this, I know in that day I will miss this, too! My hope & plan is that I can enjoy each stage as they grow, even when or maybe I should say ESPECIALLY when, its hardest. Thank you for your sweet encouragement!
Dear You are just to precious for words, Yes It is right…<br />Not always easy or perfect as we can see and hear and feel, but right YES!<br />I think what you wrote was real and true and probably Verbatim :o)<br />Thanks for Linking up to the Party!<br />Blessings, Miss Roxy
Hi Roxy! Thank you for your beautiful words! I am encouraged by you. Blessings!
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