9-5

1 more hour you say. You can't wait for the clock to hit 5 o clock. I'm sorry, sorry you don't enjoy your job. Ours? It pays hardly anything, but the rewards and lessons are great. My hours? ha...24-7!

I'm a mom, he's a dad. I wake when the first rises, prepare breakfast, change diapers, tune the TV to cartoons, and dress two little crazies. I vacuum the floors, sweep, and mop them too. We do dishes, scrub pots and pans, wipe off counter tops, wash and fold laundry. We entertain, specialize in silly voices, playing hide & go seek, & peek-a-boo. His bib? My t-shirt, and with no time to change! It's time for a nap, wash hands, and tucking littles in. Time to shower, sneak in a meal, and put the dishes away.

I tip toe around quietly, but one is awake...and on goes my day, on goes my job. More diapers need changing, more kids need feeding, more faces need wiping, more sippy cups need filling. What's this?! A boo-boo, time to turn nurse! Off for the superhero themed bandaids, antiseptic cream; time to kiss it and make it all better.

There is dinner to cook, making more dishes to clean, and then comes bath time, & we all know what that means! Floor rugs & towels in heavy order, bubbles & toys, let the splashing begin. Then it's time for pajama's, and time to brush teeth, and time for bed (finally...) Tuck them in, kiss them softly, and say good-night prayers, turn on the night light, check the closet for monsters, and quietly close that bedroom door.

Now the 'mommy-ears' come on and I wait all night for, a cough, a cry, a 'moooooooooom!', & more. A second, third, fourth round of checking for monsters, explaining away shadows, and the sound of dad snoring. I tuck back in, I kiss goodnight, find the nightlight, and back to bed. Until the morning, when one will rise, and once again...

& Dads..dad's do it too. How it pains me to give them so much credit, but they really do. They work all day and then come home, and at least mine, well he helps A LOT. It's dishes, and refereeing fights, finding lost stuffed animals, and fixing the newest broken gadget. Replacing batteries and oiling squeaking doors, helping with laundry, and sometimes even more.

Our jobs NEVER end, never. Even in our deepest sleep, we are parents on-call...just waiting for that tiny knock on the bedroom door or whisper from down the hallway. The fever at 3 am, or the monsters in the closet.

Yes, we chose this path, and yes, we LOVE it. But, don't complain. Your 9-5 is hardly a warm up compared to our daily routine. Only we get kisses, and hugs, unconditional love. Heads on our laps, and snuggles in the morning. We get to be called Mom and Dad, and that makes us proud. We're the arms of safety, the shoulder to cry, the monster slayer, the one who can kiss any boo-boo away. We have magical powers, and secret ways, we can conquer any obstacle; at least for them.

It's bibs, diapers, pacifiers in our purse. It's always being overstocked with wipes. It's never leaving the house without the blankie. It's 3am and sitting in the rocker with your youngest, waiting for the tylenol to kick in. It's playdates and preschool, strollers and diaper bags. Potty training, baby food, car seats, and sleepless nights. It's grocery shopping and parenting, all at the same time. Keeping the boxes on the shelf, the kids in the cart, staying on budget, and not forgetting anything on the list.

So yay for your desk job, congratulations for your company party; we are parents. Hear us roar.

[men: I didn't even get in to pregnancy, so you REALLY do have to give us 'props']

Oh, & I know everyone reading this has something to add to the list...so share!