Toddlers......

My youngest Charlie is almost 13 months and loves to get into everything he is not supposed to. He climbs on whatever he can to reach what he wants.
We do not have a small house, but the way it is laid out it is not conducive to toddlers. We moved from a much larger house before this one. I have a computer desk in the breezeway, office supplies in the kitchen, and toys everywhere! I have tried to organize my brains out and just as I think I have it one of my toddlers figures out a way to get something out. For example this morning I had my purse up on the shelf and my 2.5 yr old (I still consider her a toddler) uses a kitchen stool to reach it and dumps everything out and gets in to the lipstick and chapstick I keep in there. As we are making beds for the day I find lipstick on the sheets and wonder where else it will pop up in the next few days. Then my 13 month old manages to move the small toddler bench in the kitchen and get into the rubber cement and scotch tape drawer. Luckily he was unable to open the rubber cement and my oldest brought it to me before any damage was done. We used gates when my 2.5 yr was in this stage, but since then we have moved furniture around and I can't figure out how to use them now. And honestly it really looks so much more cluttery...is that even a word I don't know.....with the gates up.
I am starting to stress out about adding one more, the first 6 months it won't be as big of deal b/c they can't move but once they are mobile the next 3 years make me insane.
I have tried to declutter and get rid of lots of extra stuff but with younger kids there is so much stuff! And with dry storage limited all the baby stuff is still in the house waiting for the next one....
I am very thankful for a great mother who is willing to help clean when she visits and a great friend who loves to organize and is willing to help. I am blessed beyond measure in many areas of my life. I am praying for a spirit of contentment. I am striving to emulate Paul and be content with everything Phil 4:11....For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Someday I will do a post on my journey of Faith but it would be so long. Someday I hope to have time to sit down and from the beginning share my story, but with 2 toddlers and an almost Kindergartner I don't see that happening anytime soon :)