Gather round young moms of babies and toddlers.

I have a story to tell.

Most days I go for a run….by myself.

I leave all the kids at home. Alone.

I’m just going to let that sink in for a minute.

Yes. You heard right.

I have reached the season of motherhood when all the kids dress themselves and use the bathroom alone and grab themselves a snack and do chores around the house and stay home alone for a few hours.

And it is life-changing!!!

Why has no one ever told me about this before!?!?!

I can go out.

By myself!!!

No baggies of snacks or sippy cups or “Do you need to go potty?” or “Moooom, he’s looking at me!”

Mommas…listen.

This season with little people who need you every second of every day??

It doesn’t last forever.

There will come a day when your oldest will watch the little ones while you go out for a bit. He’ll even fix some breakfast or help your littlest in the bathroom.

There will come a day when you make a list of chores and divvy them out to all the family members. And while it may not be perfect, your house will look relatively clean and you won’t be sweaty or exhausted!!

There will come a day when your kids will EAT DINNER!! Enchiladas or BBQ pork sandwiches or fish tacos or pretty much ANYTHING you put on the table…they’ll eat it all!!! And they’ll thank you…THANK YOU…for cooking.

There will come a day when you will sleep for seven hours in a row without interruptions (mostly). Do you hear me?? You will SLEEP!!

And there will come a day when you see YOU again outside of motherhood (I know how easy it is to get lost in there). A woman with interests and talents and passion and relationships. And, oh my goodness, you will really LIKE her!!

Yes, you will cry at Johnson’s baby commercials.

Yes, you will gaze wistfully at that pregnant momma and her toddler at Target.

Yes, you will fight every urge to reach out and squeeze any baby you see!

Yes, you will understand those well-meaning ladies who told you to “enjoy every moment.”

Yes, you will remember ALL of it through slightly rose-colored glasses.

Somehow the good memories will far outweigh the bad and you’ll only remember sweet baby sighs and itty-bitty sneezes and first laughs and that wonderful smell from the tops of their heads.

But this next season???

This is the season of cheering from the sidelines for the boys who tower over you at Friday night basketball games.

This is the season of watching SNL together on the couch or sharing funny (if not slightly inappropriate) memes.

This is the season of Fortnite and phones and fast food drive-thru and “Hey Mom…guess what?” and more food and laundry than you can possibly keep up with!!

This is a whole new season.

And I’m telling you…

There will come a day when you sit talking and laughing with your BABY beside you on the couch and realize he is becoming a confident young man right before your eyes!!

Girls, this next season???

It is good too!

Better even.

I promise.