Takin' It To The Streets.

RSV season is officially over!!!

It's actually been over for a few weeks but we've been so busy that I haven't been able to post about it.

What does this mean? No more isolation. No more being a scaredy cat about everyone touching them. No more restrictions about who can come over and where we can go.

Yep, we're pretty much normal people now. Finally. The relief is overwhelming. I'm just a normal Mom with three normal toddlers that can do anything that normal toddlers actually do. Parks, McDonalds, grocery trips, playgroups, whatever. We can do it. I am just so excited I can't stand it.

I remember last year Brian and I having a discussion about what this would be like. I think he was worried that I would continue to be germ-phobic after our "quarantine" had ended. I really don't think he has anything to worry about. I'm so sick and tired of being abnormal I just want us to do the things that everyone else gets to do.

Instead I am finding that I have other worries.

With the relief, which believe me is the biggest emotion, I'm also finding that I have a little fear creeping in. Fear of the unknown. Fear of doing things that I have never done. Fear of doing things wrong.

I will admit my biggest fear in life(besides heights and closed-in spaces) is the thought of being embarrassed in public. I can't stand it. I go out of my way to avoid situations in which I have no idea what I am doing. My biggest fear is looking like an idiot. Or looking like I have no idea what I am doing. My tactic has always been to avoid being in situations like this. If I'm unsure or scared of something I just don't do it.

Then I had three wonderful, beautiful, amazing babies. They have now grown into three smart, social, inquisitive toddlers. They are also unpredictable? Oh yeah, and they have no common sense. On top of all of that they have no perception of fear or danger. They simply do whatever they want. It can be screaming in the middle of a store, running across a parking lot, or biting a fellow playmate.

Hmmm. I see a conflict, do you?

I have a feeling this summer will be filled with a lot of mistakes, a lot of do-overs, and a whole bunch of learning. I'm also guessing I will have my fair share of embarrassing moments, don't you?

I have promised myself that my fears and shortcomings WILL NOT stop me from doing things with my children. Even if it seems hard or impossible I will find a way, even if I look like a big doofus. Which I'm pretty sure I will at some point along the way.

My Mom has lots of fun stories about embarrassing things that I did. I believe I asked someone who was dipping snuff why he had worm dookie in his mouth. Oh yeah, then there was the time I peed in my Granny's front yard. Let's not forget about the time they had to stop an entire roller coaster because I freaked out.

I guess I can handle a few stares because I have to push Lily in a stroller, pull Bennie on a kid leash, and carry Jack...who is trying with all his might to escape. Please people, if you see this DO NOT stop me to talk.

I want them to experience all of the same stuff any other kid their age experiences. More than that I want to experience those things with them. I want to be strong and conquer my fears so they will not have the same fears someday. I want them to know that I'm always there to help them figure out how to do the things that are hard. Because life is hard and it is filled with lots of stuff that's scary.

This journey is teaching me a lot about myself. Not every day has been easy, but even the hard days end. I've also learned the difficult moments drag on forever while the fun times fly. I want to be the best at this that I can be, which means a lot of trial and error. I've got the routine down here at home now I have to figure out what works and what doesn't in the public eye. Nothing like trial by fire.

So here we go. Off to make friends. Off to do things that we have never done. Off to look stupid at times. Off to have fun. Off to make beautiful memories.

Stay tuned for all the antics!

See what I mean?

Yep. That's Ben on the back of the couch and that's Jack clinging to the couch for dear life. I hope they make it to their teenage years with all of their appendages.