MINE!

I've heard that word thousands of times in the last fifteen years of raising my kids. I understood when I was preggo with my oldest that I would lose certain things; time, sleep, boobs, my girlish figure. But there were other things I was unprepared to lose......like everything!

Sleep and time went first as Kelly was a very colicky baby. My images of a quiet, cooing baby went out the window the day we brought her home- she did NOT act like that the four days we were in the hospital! As I attempted to nurse, there went the boobs. This was followed by my favorite food, chips and salsa. Apparently this was not good for a new baby's tummy. Ok, I can live with that, too.



Four kids later nothing is mine. They've taken over everything. My oldest two daughters take my clothes, socks, make up, jewelry, even my sports bra! My youngest two take my drinks, food, even my toothbrush! My CD's, DVD's, TV, computer, paper, notebooks, pens, patience, time, girlish figure, my bed....all gone.

A little over a year ago, I started taking "me" time. I filled my big garden tub up with floral smelling bubbles, lit some vanilla or strawberry candles, found a juicy Harlequin Romance book and tried to relax. "MOMMY I'M HUNGRY!" "MOMMY I'M THIRSTY!" "MOMMY SHE HIT ME!" What the hell am I supposed to do about that while I'm nekked in the tub? This is MY "ME" TIME dammit!



A couple of months ago, I realized that not one square inch of our 2100 square foot house was mine. Not a one. Even Hubby had his office, it's a walk-in closet but still, there are no children or toys in there...ever. I looked around trying to find a corner. Bingo! My grandma's hutch. I spent half the day clearing out all the crap that was shoved in the drawers whenever we did the "oh crap, the in-laws will be here in twenty minutes clean up." I put all my romance books in there. My markers, crayons, and coloring books (which, yes, the kids have broken and colored in), are all stored underneath and in the drawers, my exercise magazines that I read but never use are lines up perfectly on the shelf....MINE, MINE, MINE!



So far it's safe. My bras, toothbrushes, food, boobs, time, sleep, and bath time all belong to my kids. But the hutch is mine.....and my underwear. But I'm sure even that will find it's way into the hands of my children eventually. As long as it's not my son's.