Confessions of a Mom

I love my job as a mom, it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done.  Every day is not easy, in fact there are days and moments that are down right tough.  There are moments when I just want to escape into the pantry and drink my wine all by myself (of course when I am not pregnant).  And as many times as that crosses my mind, there are just as many times when I also want to hug my munchkins so tight and not let them go.  There is a pit in my stomach when I think of them not wanting to be with us on a Friday night and be with their friends instead. Just like anything, there are awesome days, okay days and days that are brutal.

I once wrote a post about the debate between being a stay at home and a working mom and I asked mom’s to done one thing: STOP THE DEBATE (you can find that post here).  Being a mom is hard no matter how you do it.  And let’s be truthful here: it is not always glamourous.  In fact, 90% of the time motherhood is probably not how you see it on Pinterest.  Screen time is used, kitchens are not white and perfect, and if your pantry is organized and pretty enough to enjoy a glass of wine in it, hats off to you!

There are days when it is all rainbows and butterflies.  You know those days when there is no tantrum over what your munchkin is wearing,  you get out of the house on time, everyone has an good quiet time, dinner is all put on the table at once and bedtime is a breeze.  Yes, once in a blue moon those days happen.

There are also days where it is not rainbows and butterflies: maybe tornadoes and wasps is the best way to describe the days.  They are tough.  At 2pm you want the day to end and then you get on Instagram and see “fitsupermomof4” tackling pinterest activity number five hundred, she then posts a picture of her clean white kitchen as she is cooking a restaurant quality dinner for her family, and oh she has makeup on and is dressed to the nines.  As for you,  you are ready to throw in the the towel (and drink your wine in the pantry).  We all have those days, it is okay, Mom- we are in this together.

Moms, I want you to know it is okay to not have an Instagram-Pinterest-y perfect day… every single day or ever.  We are all human.  We all have not so graceful thoughts sometimes about how stinking hard (but worth it) motherhood is.  In fact a friend of mine recently said she saw a pillow that said, “I wish my life were as perfect as Facebook makes it seem.”  Isn’t that the truth?  Of course we don’t want to air our struggles to the world, but let’s make a pact and acknowledge that we all struggle and we all have tough days.

In fact, let me be 100% honest with you.  These are some thoughts, let’s call them confessions, that I have kept in my phone for quite some time.  These are my…

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM:

• Do I really have to clean up this kitchen one more time?
• If someone were to drop by right now, I would have to hide because there is no way I am letting someone see my house like this.
• Do I have to read “Pinkilicious” one more time? Do you think she would notice if I skipped a page? (Just in case you haven’t tried this, they usually notice.)
• Man, I actually look decent when I blow dry my hair.
• Is it an appropriate time to have a glass of wine yet?  Just a half a glass would be nice.
• How many hours left until bedtime?  I hope I can make it!
• I can’t wait until the day I can go to the restroom without an audience.
• Are you kidding me, another business dinner?  How about you take that steak and wonderful dessert and shove it where the sun don’t shine.  I’ll continue to inhale my eggs while standing and eat some soggy animal crackers for dessert.
• Warm coffee?  That is a noble idea?  Let me find mine… and reheat it… again.

These thoughts happen, at least in my house they surely do.   Bedtime finally comes and you might feel ready to  pop the champagne, but wait you are way too exhausted.  And just like that a simple, “just one more kiss, mommy,” or a good snuggle from your littlest one can make every thought you just had go away and make you know that although it is hard, it is worth it.  It is worth ever tear, every crumb, every time you have swept the floor or wiped the counters.  It is worth every tug at the heart, every time you have wanted to just yell “NO!” Every moment you want to hide is absolutely, positively worth it. You know why? Because this is just a season: as season that will pass in just a flash.  Not only is it worth it, it is a gift: a gift from God to raise these precious children.

So moms, next time you feel bad that your house isn’t perfect, your parenting isn’t perfect and by golly it looks nothing like those Instagram pictures know that you are not alone.  We are in this together: mommies unite!

Your turn- tell me!
What mommy confession do you have?
How do you unwind after a tough day?