Top Ten Tuesday

It's already Tuesday again? I completely forgot to make a list and I swore I wouldn't procrastinate this time! Oh well. In honor of said procrastination, I'll dedicate some of my top 10s to it!

Top Ten Signs That You Are Officially A Parent 

10. How Many Dishes Can Fit in One Load? - Cory's only "job" once he gets home is to clean dishes... As long as the bottles and nipples are clean, he thinks his task is complete. This often results in a dish mountain, as Josiah calls it. Skipping one day results in fitting as many items as possible in the dishwasher the next with a hill already beginning in the sink! grrr

9. Skim vs. Whole - Once upon a time you tried to eat healthy foods- fat-free, low-cal, sugar-free, etc. Yes, you can still eat healthy foods when you have children, but it's so much easier to eat what they are eating or to drink what they drink. Buy a gallon of whole milk and skim milk? No way! Salad for lunch or pizza? Hmm...

8. Follow The Path - Didn't you just clean the entire house a few days (or hours) ago? Talk about a never-ending job. Skip a day of hounding your child(ren) to clean up messes or following behind them, picking up their messes, and you will definitely pay for it. Regardless, I still manage to find myself at least once a week following a path through piles of puzzle pieces and Hot Wheels to get to the kitchen.

7. It's Only 8pm? - Were you once considered a night owl who went out for drinks after getting off of work at 11pm? You definitely know you are a parent when the clock strikes 8pm and you feel like it's 3am and time to get a cab home. I hate to admit it, but sometimes it's even earlier than 8pm.

6. Bringing Back the 90s - You know you are a parent when you reach in your dresser for something to wear and only pull out an old hypercolor t-shirt or, even worse, baggy jeans or dreaded spandex. We all know the task of washing clothes is never-ending, but adding kid's clothes and cloth diapers to the mix makes it even worse. My clothes are always the last to be washed somehow.

5. The Reading Rainbow - We are a family of readers and absolutely love books! I can easily spend hours reading a good book, finishing the book fairly quickly. Now when I get to read a book it takes weeks. That is, if I even finish it. Reading time now includes such titles as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, and Guess How Much I Love You. I still read for my own pleasure occasionally, but never for hours at a time.

4. Party Hard - Your idea of a nice party is no longer a house party with a band and a keg. Now the band has been replaced by a dancing clown or Chuck E. Cheese (my least favorite rat of all) and the nice glass of imported beer is now a Capri Sun! Party time!

3. You Become A Second-Class Citizen - Remember the days when your parents were overjoyed to see you during a visit? You are definitely a parent when you drive 5 hours only to practically get shoved out of the way so Grandma can hold her "grandbabies"!
 

2. What's That On Your Shirt? - Oh, it's just a little spit-up. No worries. If you are like me, as long as you have your hair pulled back, teeth brushed, and a semi-clean shirt for the day, you are ready to go!

1. Where Did That Come From? - Going to the grocery store with a child in tow always makes for an interesting trip to say the least. Josiah loves "helping" me shop, which can be quite a workout. You are officially a parent (especially of children 1+ yrs old) when you unload all your groceries to find many surprises/gifts from your little one. Here are Josiah's purchases to date: a can of cat food, Wheat Thins, a chocolate bar and a can of soup. Thanks Josiah! :)

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!