Hair Stylist? Mommy? Which one will she choose?!

So in my travels through the land of Google reader, I came across a post by Parenting by Dummies where I could enter to win a cute kids top just for answering one simple question.  So I started to think about how I would answer this one simple question and I realized that it was harder than it seemed.

The question? 

What super smart profession do I dream of my kid becoming one day.

It was hard to think of Katie (I thought of her first just because she's oldest) being old enough to work because that would mean she was old enough to drive and old enough to pierce her ears and old enough to vote and old enough to go out on a DATE!  And old enough to move out and have her own apartment! Her.own.APARTMENT!

(Insert heavy breathing and crazy eyes HERE.)

Whew.

This was tough. 

But now I was determined to think, and think hard, of a suitable profession for my baby girl . 

Now, this wasn't hard because Katie isn't super smart and able to do whatever she puts her mind to, because she is super smart and there are so many possibilities... it was hard because I want her to have a job that is so totally awesome she loves going to work every day.  (Making oodles of money and never being too busy to come hang with mommy would just be added bonuses.  Unfortunately, I don't know if a job like this even exists.)

I finally came up with the (kind of serious) answer along the lines of Katie working where I work (because I would love to see her every day and then we can carpool every day and have lunch together and meet for our breaks and send emails with smiley faces all. day. long.) but she's got her own ideas.  She either wants to be a mommy or a hair stylist.

I think right now hair stylist is winning, but only because I'm pointing out all of the things mommies have to do (and hoping it stops her from wanting children until she's 30 because taking care of kids is hard... and they pull hair and pinch... and I'm talking about you *Jacob*). 

Things like
- never finishing your own meal because someone spills or throws food or falls out of their booster seat... or squirts vinegar water in their eye (but eating off of the kids half full plates while doing dishes),
- having to forget about a peaceful shower (unless you get up before the kids to take it),
- making dinner while kids play underfoot (when they haven't had any interest in the kitchen ALL evening),
- hiding markers and pens so the really smart kids with long arm reach can't get to them (then forgetting where you hid the only sharpie),
- scanning the room before leaving for anything the kids can get into (this is tough... things you don't consider dangerous can be very dangerous when there's a 2 year old around... lamps, picture frames on high shelves, TV remotes are some examples),
- making sure the box of granola bars are not left on the floor in the pantry (because some kids like to smoosh them, and then they're just granola.  With little tiny chocolate chips.),
- collecting cooking utensils from wherever the kids were playing with them and having to wash them before using them to make dinner (the spatula and spoons being among the favorites and I still don't know where my flat spoon is)...

And oh, there's more, but I'll stop here.

So what I'm saying is that having kids is hard.

There are also some pretty great moments mixed in with the vomit, spills, icky diapers, and mutinous glares (Katie, that one was all you). 

Great moments like getting surprise hugs, two shadows following me around just to see what I'm doing (usually not exciting since I'm usually putting something away or picking something up), seeing their exitement when they see something they think is really cool... and of course, hearing "Mommy, I'm glad you're home today and not at work" or "Mommy, I love you" is pretty great too.

They show me* pretty rocks, a bird flying above our house, a funny cloud in the sky, a picture they think is neat... an endless list of things that it seems I've lost the ability to see on my own.

And oh, there's more, but I'll stop here.

*There are still some things the kids don't show me... like where our kitchen remote is hidden.  That's been missing for about 4 months now.  I think it's gone for good.  We've gotten used to getting up to change the channel... because there aren't any remotes we can program for the tv we have in the kitchen.  And we've tried, oh we've tried to find one. 

Just the other day, Jake came to sit next to me on the couch.  He didn't throw a book at me to read, he just wanted to sit next to me and snuggle up close.  Katie came over too and sat on the other side of me.  And snuggled up close.  This totally makes up for the marker on our back door, the 500th cup of spilled milk, the pinching, the missing remote ... well, all of the other stuff that's not so fun (see above for the almost comprehensive list... here's a hint: it starts with "vomit").

So I guess it's okay that Katie has this on her list of jobs... the pay isn't too great and the benefits are way more than I could have imagined.  Hugs and smiles and kids who think I'm the best. mommy. ever.

But I'm going to keep pointing out all of the things mommies do... I wonder if cleaning the bathroom would be too much for a 4 year old...