Which Way Is It-Don't Sweat the Small Stuff or Enjoy the Small Moments?

Did you know that once you become a mom you are bombarded with messages that completely conflict themselves? I am completely confident that you've heard the line from moms with older or grown up kids to "enjoy every minute, it goes so fast and you'll miss every minute."  For the record I think that statement is complete BS since I know for a fact that I'll never miss cleaning dried poop off of Mark's crib. No really never, so you don't try to convince me that I'll miss that moment. But I get the sentiment behind it. Time is going buy fast and I try to stay in the moment as much as possible.

Then you hear things like "don't sweat the small stuff. It's the big picture that matters most." I can totally get behind this sentiment too. Bad things happen during the day so you should try not to focus on them. Just because Mark took off his diaper and pooped in the crib and smeared it everywhere doesn't mean that the whole day is ruined.

Now here is my problem with this advice-which one is it? Do all the small moments in life matter the most or am I not supposed to sweat the small stuff since it's the big picture that matters most? You can't have it both ways, you have to choose.

Personally, I choose to look at the big picture in life. I'll never enjoy all the small moments in parenting since some days just suck. But I know one day everyone is going to wipe their own butt (can I get an Amen?) and leave the house and I'll miss having them at home with me.

So back off moms with older kids, we are not going to miss every moment in parenting, just the good ones. And if you're honest with yourself, it's only the good moments that you really miss.