Rush Hour

Before I had kids, I had a job (and a life) and I used to deal with rush hour. It was annoying, but then I got home, had dinner, watched some TV and generally relaxed and slowed down.

Those were the good old days. These days I feel like my whole life is rush hour. And it needs to stop.

I am constantly in a hurry. There is no such thing as a relaxing shower or a leisurely meal. I now take 60 second showers because there is always someone pulling on the shower curtain or "playing" in the bathroom. I shovel food in so fast I fear one day I will choke to death. This speed eating began when Jack was born and continues to this day. I am considering entering a pie eating contest or perhaps that famous Nathan's hot dog eating contest. I may not win but I'm positive I could place.

I am in and out of the grocery store in record time. If I have the kids with me I rush like hell to avoid a meltdown in the checkout line. If I'm by myself I am rushing because I need to get back home because Em will have been crying the entire time I'm gone. The thing is- even when I do get back home I'm still in a hurry.

I am so hyped up all day trying to get things done that I am making myself crazy. I'm always trying to get through one task so that I can move on to the next. I realized this the other night as I was reading to the kids at bedtime. I was not fully present, I was thinking about the dishes in the sink and the laundry that needed to be folded. That's when I realized that even when I'm not rushing my head is racing. And that has to stop. It's one thing to race through the grocery store, but race through bedtime? Come on.

What on earth is so important that I can't sit and snuggle with my children at bedtime? Laundry? Please, it never stops. No sooner will I fold it but there will be another load to go in or come out. Same with dishes. And the trash. And recycling. And vacuuming, etc., etc., etc. I am going to blink and they will no longer be taking baths, they'll be showering. Footy pajamas and bedtime stories will be a thing of the past. The laundry? That will be there for the rest of my life.
So while I doubt I'll be taking 10 minute showers any time soon or actually tasting my food for the next few years, I am going to try to slow down and actually be in the moment with my two little ones. I have a feeling when I am finally able to take that long shower it just won't be that much fun without a little face peering around the side of the curtain.