Groundhog Day in paradise. 

There should be a law against this.  It’s a crime against nature that a gorgeous sunset colors the water while BrightSide and I are trapped in a room, hammering out another peace accord between our kids. 

Without surveillance video, stories morph from one version to another like fog rolling across a river.  She did this.  But he did that.  No, I didn’t!  And she said this then did that.  No I didn’t!  I really didn’t!

Lawd.

I love my kids to pieces, y’all, but for real…we’ve had at least one Come To Jesus on every single trip this summer.  Every. Single. One.

Does this surprise me?  Not anymore.  It annoys me at times, yes, but it’s not a shock.  And this brings us to our weekly PSA:

Thinking about having kids?  Have you caught baby fever from watching your second cousin’s adorable 9-month-old babble happily at the family picnic?  Feel compelled to stroke other children’s hair as their strollers pass by on the street?  [Fight that urge, btw.]

Awesome.  It sounds like you are indeed interested in repopulating the planet.  You might be ready for kids IF – and this is a big if – you accept that little peeps are way more than a full-time job.

They are always there.  Always.  Kids are strapped to your torso or tugging on your hands.  They’re tangled in your legs, climbing counters, or calling “Mama, watch this!” from the next room.  They’re falling over couch cushions, landing in your lap, and bouncing up for more.  They are always between you and whatever you’re trying to do.

Kids are there at 5:00am and midnight.  They’re there when your best friends finally come over for drinks, and they pop into the room just as the really good stories get rolling.  They show up the second you finally make yourself lunch, eat the last cookie or doughnut, and forever alter your restaurant experience.

So think long and hard.  Yes, that baby is super cute and somehow manages to smell heavenly despite the fact that she pees in her pants.  They’re adorable and look ever so portable when they first show up.  Remember: they grow.

This is a long term gig.  It’s marketed as an eighteen year deal, but I’ve come to accept that parenting is a forever thing.  Not parenting as in “you need to eat your green beans”, but parenting like wondering if your kid’s getting enough exercise and has enough savings.

The theme may change, but I suspect Groundhog Day is here to stay.