Cabin fever is beginning to take its toll in our house. The kids have been especially rowdy, in need of fresh air. Unfortunately cold temperatures and lots of snow have kept us locked indoors for a while now. As the kids were attempting to burn off energy a few nights ago, the noise level reached a pinnacle. Matt and I looked at each other, and then this conversation took place:
Matt: Do you remember what it was like before kids?
Me: Yes.
Matt: What did we do?
Me: We watched a lot of TV. And napped. And slept in. And ate dinner at the coffee table.
Matt: We ate a lot of pizza and drank a lot of soda.
Me: Sometimes I miss that.
Then we both sighed audibly. We sometimes find ourselves in those moments, reminiscing about what we did before kids or what what we were like. We became parents nearly seven years ago. At times, our pre-kids selves seem like a lifetime ago. What did we do with all of the time we didn’t spend changing diapers, playing board games, reading children’s books and going to parks? What did we eat before turning to home-cooking and organic produce? How much more organized and cleaner was our house before Legos and puzzles and stuffed animals? How were we capable of sleeping so many hours?
So tell us, how has parenthood changed you? Do you remember what life was like before kids? Is there anything you miss?
