...and sometimes it's rough with kids

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If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know we love doing things with our kids. We travel with them, we dine out with them, I stay home with them, etc. I'm wondering at this point if you think I want 10 kids and to spend waking minute with them based on this. I do not.

In fact, we actually spend a lot of time away from the kids (even if we're all under the same roof) and choose to do plenty without them. And though I generally have a positive outlook on having two kids within 15 months of each other (and wanting more), I don't know that I say this enough: sometimes it's rough with kids.

Today was a rough day. Brad only gets one day off per week during our time here - Saturdays. In many ways, that means I get Saturdays off too, since I'm co-parenting with Brad (who is an amazing Dad) all day instead of flying solo. We probably should have aimed for something restful since our days have been so full and busy here. We didn't. We went to the Natural History Museum with the kids, along with every other New York family so it seemed.

the scene of many diaper changes and fits today.

The place was packed and our kids were not having it. From the beginning I could tell Lily would be a handful. She didn't want to stay in the stroller and if we forced her she would scream so loud even the parents with kids (who are supposed to be on our team, right?!) said with their eyes Get That Kid Out Of Here! So she was on foot. Fine. Oh wait, she has become incredibly fast. And agile. I'd say for every developmental milestone she's been slow to reach (talking) she's far surpassed physically. What I wouldn't pay to have a toddler who I can converse with, while sitting happily, because she can't yet walk! But daydreaming isn't helpful so lets move on.

Our little lady was really easy to lose in a crowd which made me frustrated and angry at the same time. What kind of parent looses a kid? This one. A few times today. She never got far, but only because I learned early on that the half-effort parent jog wouldn't work and the full-on sprint was necessary. As we darted in and out of the crowds to catch Lily, Oli woke up and started whining (not fully crying, but unable to be soothed). He didn't stop until we got home. Lily also soaked through two cloth diapers as she's fighting a cold so we're pumping in the liquids. Which isn't a big deal at home, but when you're out its rough. And when the public restrooms nearby are closed, that is too. So we did a few in-stroller diaper changes (in a corner for her privacy, but still very much in public) which we all hated, and in the end Lily walked home wearing a shirt and diaper exclusively.

We thought the museum would be more kid-friendly, and that it would be great for them. Not so. It actually was highly interesting to us, but we weren't able to see or read a thing because we were chasing our uninterested daughter and trying to comfort our bummed out son (teething? who knows). We came home exhausted and drained. Lily was in a constant state of tantrum until she went to bed at 6pm. Oli went down easily but has awoken twice since then and our evening is getting away from us.

I say this a lot:
They're a handful but I wouldn't have it any other way! 
Our kids aren't "hard kids" to parent.
We love hanging out with our kids!
The kids haven't changed us much.
They're really mild-mannered. 
Life with kids is amazing! 
They're great sleepers.
We have easy kids.

I do not say this a lot:

... and sometimes it's just plain rough with kids.

But I'm saying it tonight.
Tomorrow's a new day. Today was a rough one. The End.