Parenthood...

     I was reading the newspaper the other day and there was an article titled "Parenthood" caught my eye.  I continued to read on as it was about 25 things the author realized about parenthood.  It got me thinking about the things I would put on my list.  So here goes my list of things I have realized or that parenthood means to me (in no particular order).

1. "No" is both my best friend and my enemy.
2. At the end of the day nothing else matters when I get to kiss and hug the two most important things in my life.
3. I now know and understand how it feels to have a screaming child in public.
4. I'm pretty sure I can't give up caffeine.
5. A good night's sleep is very hard to come by.
6. Everything else is second.
7. The kids' wardrobe is always up to date, but I will probably still be wearing clothes from college (possibly even high school).
8. Date night might just be for the two of us, but the little ones are there even if it is not in physical form.
9. Everything I say and do can be repeated and/or mimicked.
10. No matter how hard I try not to be, one day I will eventually become my mother.
11. Timeouts are only a chance for me to have a break from the behavior.  Kids learn little from them.
12. Time goes by way too fast when kids are involved.
13. I can't capture every moment of their lives, but I do my best to make some memorable ones.
14. There is no such thing as privacy anymore.
15. I always have to plan for extra time when trying to get out the door.
16. Each milestone is both exciting and sad.
17. My favorite book at any given time will likely be a children's book.
18. The best thing in the world is children's laughter.
19. I can never get enough of their hugs and kisses.
20. I'm glad I don't have to do it alone.

As a final note, I have been looking forward to the premier of the show "Parenthood" and was able to watch it tonight.  It looks like it could be a good show.