These are the days.
The days you should “cherish every moment”. The days that “are going to fly by”. The days that “you’ll look back on one day and miss”. We’ve all been told by our moms, our friends, and that old lady at the grocery store that says “you’ve got your hands full!”.
This may be true. But these are also the hard days. The days that never seem to end. The days that turn into nights (you know – the time most people in the world are sleeping but you’re still awake with a baby). The days that you clean up the damage left by one tornado, only to turn around and find another devastation in the next room. These are the days that you notice at 3 pm that you’re still in your pajamas. Or you’re reaching for the dry shampoo for the third day in a row. These days you have every intention of doing “a load a day so you can keep up” with the laundry, but just remembered it’s been sitting in the wash since yesterday morning. These days, dinner ranges from home made enchiladas on a good day, to cheese quesadillas and beans the next because cooking is hard.
These are also the days that we need to give ourselves grace. We need to know that as long as your kids are fed, clean, and loved – they think you’re perfect. They don’t mind cheese quesadillas for the 3rd day in a row for lunch or the occasional baby wipes bath. They don’t care if you put on a bra today, or if you’re rocking the mom bun – again. In fact, my daughters newest request is “a big bun just like you!” Their innocent eyes don’t see those thoughts in your head comparing yourself to that “perfect Instagram mom”, or the guilt you are feeling for giving them noddles covered in powdered cheese. They see their perfect mom. Their perfect mom sings that special song she made up, does the hot dog dance with them in her pajamas at 3pm, and let’s them stand at the counter to stir in the powdered cheese and cook together!
We don’t have to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife, the perfect homemaker, the perfect employee…
We should be their perfect mom, a version of his perfect wife that this season of life allows, and the homemaker that makes us feel good! We may be that woman in the grocery store who thinks back on these long days and realizes they did fly by. For now, we must find joy in the little successes and know that its okay if you want to forget about those few moments when you felt crazy instead of cherishing them.
Photos by Alexandra Kayy Photography
Here’s to giving ourselves grace, and knowing that those pics on Instagram are a highlight reel (as are the photos above). I’m currently drinking cold coffee at 11am in pajamas.
xoxo
Whitney
the Whitney Michaels blog 