I have the most precious kiddos BUT sometimes I do wax sentimental about some of the things I might NOT have taken for granted if I had known what having kids (and staying home with them) meant. Specifically, the luxury of being alone and having time to myself. Alone in the bathroom, alone running errands, alone in my house, alone on my couch, alone with my thoughts. Alone. Alone. Alone. “Me time” personified.

If I could go back to the pre-kid me and tell her one thing, I would tell her to really enjoy going to the bathroom alone. In looking back on most things (i.e., I thought I was “so tired”, “such a multi-tasker”, and so on and so on), I thought I was never alone before I had kids but I had NO idea. No idea that a lot of my mundane, every day tasks would become luxuries. Rich in solitude. I would tell her to really enjoy grocery shopping. That head cold. That night to yourself while Paul’s out. That doctor’s appointment. That trip to the Rack without a time limit or someone yelling at her like it’s a military drill to get in and out with the correct arsenal of snacks and no blow-outs in under 30 minutes. Enjoy it because, honey, you won’t be alone for awhile.

Most of my “me time” these days amounts to a solo trip to Costco or the fastest shower you can imagine with kids knocking on the bathroom door before P goes to work. And while it’s helped me become incredibly efficient and far less high maintenance (which is a good example to set for my daughter), I’m still sad I didn’t relish being alone as much as I should have or would today. I used to really think about what I was going to wear. Like REALLY think about it. Now if I make it out the door without snot on my leg or shoulder and if I’m not clashing, it’s a “fashion moment” for me.

So to all of you newly-marrieds, you not-yet-parents, you trying-to-be-parents, even those of you with a kid on the way…sit on the toilet, like it’s your royal throne and read an entire People magazine. Take an extra long shower. Because if kids are in your not-so-distant-future, these seemingly commonplace things will come to an end. They’ll be replaced with something so much sweeter than being alone on the pot. But there is something to be said for a little bit of privacy.