MyColdCoffee.com"I don’t have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine!" -Author Unknown

My husband and I have an open and honest marriage.  Now, before you freak out…let me explain.  We are completely open and honest about everything in our lives.  We voice every feeling and opinion…even though we think we are going to absolutely piss the other one off.  But, in order for us to connect on a deeper level, we have to open ourselves up to our partner.  If we don’t, do they truly know us?

Connecting on this level was really important to both of us.  We wanted to truly know each other and connect with each other so that our love and friendship can grow.  I have never experienced this level of openness with anyone in my life and it is absolutely wonderful.  Yes, we argue more frequently, but at the end of the day, we are happier and closer than we were before.

I love that I can tell my husband anything and he can do the same with me.  It is the best feeling to know that you can get absolutely anything and everything off your chest with your partner and not be judged but loved unconditionally.  My husband knows my every thought and every feeling.  He knows me inside and out and there is NO better friend in the world!

Never listening to my husband again!  Having kids close together so they go through their phases close to each other is not a good idea at all, honey!  Good thing we are not having any more kids!  Oh my goodness, so my son is about to be three and my daughter is about to be five!  What I am about to be faced with is going to be insane!  A five year old who likes everything done her way and a three year old who wants to do everything by himself and have all the attention!  WOW!  Not ready for a five and three year old!

When my husband and I started talking about having our second child, I told him I was not ready for another little one.  Our daughter was still battling reflux and not sleeping through the night and the thought of having two little kids waking up constantly during the night just didn’t appeal to me!  But, he prevailed and now we have our wonderful son.  But, neither child sleeps through the night and both have gone through the hell known as reflux!  Whether it’s a nightmare or a wet diaper, they are up and down all night long!  I told you honey!!!!

Our daughter was horrid during her three’s!  I have tried to suppress those memories of her during that year!  Now, I’m faced with our son going through that phase!  Oh, man….maybe he’ll be better!  All I can do is try to be as understanding as possible, take deep long breathes, and spend plenty of time out of confined spaces!  Right now, he’s in the jumping phase!  Anything this boy can climb on, he is going to jump off of with amazing air time!  He has never had a fear of anything and that scares me!

Our soon-to-be 5 year old, is a whole other story!  I have no idea what I am going to do!  She already talks like a grown-up and tries to act like one too!  She already wants to put on make-up whenever she leaves the house.  Oh, she has a little boyfriend!  Yes, she is four and already she has a crush on a six year old!  When we tell her we are going over to his house, she has to plan and coordinate her outfits, she has to paint her nails to match her outfit, and she has to wear her hair down!  We are going to be in so much trouble when she is a teenager!

No matter when we had a second child, there would always be a phase they are going through.  Kids move from one bad phase onto the next phase that’s going to drive me crazy!  And, even though they drive me crazy sometimes and our house is always a mess and always chaotic, I love my children and my husband with all my heart and wouldn’t change a single moment with them.  My husband and our kids are without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to me!

I have come to a realization that my daughter is just like me!  It’s absolutely terrifying the first time you look into your child’s eyes and see yourself!  She was having one of her “I’m right and I know I’m right and you’re wrong and I know you’re wrong” arguments with me, then I got a cold chill down my spine and realized I had this exact conversation with my parents when I was 16!  Wow, she’s advancing fast and I’m completely at a loss as to what to do!

You have to understand something; I was a good little girl growing up, until I made it to High School! For most people that know me, they find that hard to believe!  But, seriously, I was a little angel as a child.  Then hormones and the idea that I knew everything and there was no one, especially my parents that could tell me anything!  Well, minus the hormones, she is me!  She is ALWAYS right and there is nothing anyone can tell her to make her change her mind because once she has it in her head, it is written in stone!

It’s so frustrating to raise a strong-willed child, when you are a strong-willed adult!  It’s hard to tell her how to control herself, when there are MANY times; I have no idea how to control myself!  This is a project we have to work on together and I have no idea where to start!

So, now what do I do?  How do I help this little person try to understand and control what she’s feeling and saying, when I’m still trying to understand and control it myself?!  She is so strong and smart, and I do not want to do or say anything that will crush her wonderful outgoing personality.  So, what do we do because it’s not just her that needs the help?  We both have to figure out how two strong-willed girls can live peacefully in the same house!  Poor Daddy!

Okay, I know I’ve written about my crazy family and all its insanity, but I wouldn’t trade places with anyone.  I have an amazing husband, even though he drives me crazy sometimes, he is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  We have been married for a little over ten years now and every day I love him more.  I could have never imagined 11 years ago that I could ever feel this way about him or anyone else.  We can laugh, cry, scream, and fight, but at the end of the day we find ourselves in each other’s arms completely and madly in love.

Our kids are the craziest kids I know.  They are exploding with energy and tend to break important valuables in the house (doors, computers, and toys, anything they can get their hands on!).   But, when I look at them, I am blown away.  They are the most beautiful little individuals, and I am not just saying that because I’m their Mom.  They really are beautiful!  The absolute best is when they climb in your lap and ask to snuggle.  Or they climb into the bed in between my husband and me, and snuggle up close and give kisses.  I just wish I could keep them this way, but I know they are growing up!  One of the hardest parts of my day is telling my daughter good bye in the morning as she’s getting on the bus.  Seeing her sitting in that big girl bus and watching her blow me kisses from her window seat absolutely melts my heart!  And, I know pretty soon, she’s not going to want anything to do with her Mom!  I love picking up my son from Mom’s Morning Out because whatever he’s doing, he stops and runs to me saying, “Mommy!”  I pick him up and he snuggles right in giving me kisses and holding on with all his strength!  My little man!

Yes, with all the insanity that goes on in my family, at the end of the day, we are all full of love and there is nothing better than that!