It's So Much Easier Now

I keep remarking on how much easier life in general is now that the girls are older. It is amazing how different things feel lately. I can tell them to get their shoes and coats on and they do it. We can leave the house spur of the moment without much thought, and now that Maya is no longer napping we can make a day of being out and about. I am needing a baby fix lately, though. I just miss the snuggy baby lump that sleeps peacefully on my chest, and that baby smell. I kept thinking I wanted another baby, that someone was missing from our family, but I realized almost a year ago that I was just used to having a baby around. I loved every moment of each of the girl's infancy, they were some of my favorite times (three times). Now, I really feel like we can focus on doing more. We have family game night, and now we can all play together. We can go on car trips without timing feedings, Best of all though...no more diapers! We have been diaper free around here for almost a year now and I definitely don't miss diapers. I also find it really entertaining when they assert themselves and test the limits of what they can do. It is funny to me when Maya tries to tell us that she is not going to do something we tell her she needs to do. She doesn't do it too often, but when a situation arises that we haven't dealt with yet and she feels like her way is better and tries to convince us that her way is the way to go, I think it is really interesting to watch her work that out. I love watching them work things out with their friends too. Lilly has made some really good friends at school, and is realizing that friendship doesn't always mean that you get your way. She has learned quickly that it is a give and take and that you have to do both sometimes. I have also finally figured out a more effective use for space in our house, that allows me to keep the place clean with much less effort and stress. I feel like everything is working so well now and I am definitely enjoying it.