This is Love

Valentine's Day is coming up and all things LOVE is in the air. This morning an article from the @Today's Parents  Facebook feed shouted at me.


If you are a couple with small children go read this post called: Love in the Age of Parenting Young Children from blog, Roussel Six Pack! I can relate to it so hard and I was inspired to piggy-back off her.


Noah and I have been married for almost 10 years and in the last 7 we have created four beautiful babies. We are way past the "big, romantic, make-me-swoon love" but are celebrating another season of love that comes after having children. We will most likely be celebrating Valentine's Day differently for a little while and that is perfectly okay.


For your amusement and because I was inspired by Chrissy Rossel, I'd like to share my own list of what love really is in this season of life after four young kids!


1. Love is shutting the bedroom door on the weekends and attempting to give me 15 minutes of extra sleep while you have been up since the crack of dawn with our bossy two-year old.


2. Love is starting my car in the mornings on top of loading the millions of bags I have to carry to work/daycare.


3. Love is doing the endless loads of laundry so it 1) gets done and 2) because you know I hate doing it.


4. Love is preparing the whole family for bedtime by ensuring our rooms are at optimal lighting and temperature- Turning on the fans, making sure the night lights are turned on in all our rooms.


5. Love is ensuring all the kids eventually hear my requests after I have given up all hope that they are even listening.


6. Love is looking past the unsexy nursing bra and not-thong undies and still making me feel like you only have eyes for me.

7. Love is going along with all my sunny beach family vacation plans even though you hate the sun and sand, my Disney during the worst possible time vacations and all my crazy family fun-filled adventure plans.


8. Love is getting me ice cream, french fries, or a coke when my head is about to explode from having an off-parenting moment.


9. Love is following me around the house and throwing away the forgotten rolled-up soiled diapers and making fun of me by telling me "I'll just throw this away..." multiple times a day.


10. Love is making sure I don't have to handle this parenting thing all on my own. It's about making sure attention is paid to all the kids when they need it most.


11. Love is tucking Ava and Lily in every night and making sure all the hugs, kisses, high-fives, checking for monsters, good-nights are in before they agree to go to bed!


12. Love is running to get me another burp diaper, towel, or something to mop up the puke the baby has just yacked all over me.


13. Love is ensuring my cell phone and my keys are in my handbag before we leave the house because everyone knows I'll leave it and make you run back inside or turn around to go get. Oh yeah and the diaper bag!


14. Love is not calling or texting me when I actually get a moment out of the house sans kids even when the baby has been crying non-stop since I left


15. Love is distracting the kids in the grocery store so I can check off my list in peace


16. Love is standing by while I take a million photos of the kids documenting our every memory


17. Love is taking adhoc trips to the store because I left off a bunch of items off my list I forgot add


18. Love is understanding and loving my crazy before kids and after!


19. Love is singing all the silly songs we have learned and doing so with no shame at all!


20. Love is laughing together when the kids say or do something cute/funny!


21. Love is sharing in all the good, bad, and ugly with raising four kids. For sharing in the worry and celebrating all the beautiful things that make up our crazy and hectic parenting journey!


You probably think I don't notice ALL the things but I DO. I love you and this life we share!