Motherhood is Messy

Hi guys! It’s been forever! Since the last post, we have welcomed into the world our new beautiful baby girl and the time has gone so fast that she is already an unbelievable four weeks old! Yikes! The labor and delivery went well and everyone is healthy and happy. Being home with three kids has definitely been trying, though.  Sometimes I feel great, get ready, clean the house, play with the kids and all is awesome. But then there are those days … you know, THOSE days. The days where I have practically bathed in spit up and poop, heard nothing but whining and crying, been used as a bottle while having two other kids climbing on top of me, somehow forgot to brush my teeth, haven’t showered in four days, and I’m not quite sure whether I ate lunch or not. And then the hubster comes home from work, wanting to play with the kids, and they just want me. Can anyone explain this to me? Why do they seem sick of you all day and then, when the opportunity arises, they cling to you like you’re leaving on a summer long trip overseas? Wait, is this an option? #momcation

But, in all seriousness, I’m exhausted, as I’m sure all you other moms out there understand. Whether you’re in the stage with a newborn like me, are in the heat of sports games and activities and are basically just a chauffeur, are sending your kids off to college, are empty nesters, or have gone through a terrible loss of a child, we all know this state of exhaustion. Any mother has been through it and we are all together. #momsunite Baby girl has finally started to sleep longer periods at night, but now I find myself not being able to sleep to make sure she is still breathing. Seriously? You would think after my third, I would be more relaxed … nope! God surely has blessed us moms with intense survival skills: lack of sleep, lack of alone time, lots of patience (sometimes), the ability to eat cold food, the ability to tackle two diapers at once (been there, done that way too many times), overlooking your stench, etc, etc.

I have, too many times I might add, been hard on myself, setting unrealistic expectations of what my days should look like or what I should look like. But in all seriousness, does it really matter if you changed out of pajamas to just put on leggings? Does it really matter if cereal is for dinner … again? Does it really matter if my house has toys scattered all over the place or that clean laundry is more wrinkled than the dirty because you never folded it? No! And I have to tell myself this all of the time. I am making memories with my children. They won’t look back and see a messy house or be mad that we had cereal for dinner. They will see that we played princess tea party and jumped on the trampoline and made sea creatures out of play-doh. We are just too hard on ourselves, especially in this age of social media. Everything just looks so perfect all of the time. Well, here is a picture to ease your minds that it is not! Motherhood is messy, life is messy, but may this mess be blessed.

I’m choosing to write this to just point out that I/you/we are not alone. We are in this motherhood thing together. Although we all have different views and different ways of raising our children, we understand what each other is going through. We have the toughest, yet most rewarding job in the world. We can go from being so frustrated with our kids to missing them and needing a hug in a second flat. We know the crazy amazing love that we have for these little humans, but we also know how incredibly difficult days can be.

So, I ask you, today, to reach out to a mother in your life, whatever stage of life they may be in, and send an encouraging word or give them a hug. Because odds are that they need it. And, in the age of cyber bullying and hiding behind the screen to be out of line, let’s instead use these platforms to build one another up. I know it’s a month or so early but a Happy Mother’s Day to you all, as we know that every day is a mother’s day and it never will hurt to say something uplifting to someone else. I know I am grateful for all the mothers out there and just remember that you are not alone in your struggles. You are spectacular. Who cares about your mascara running down your face, the spit up on your shoulder, or the house you call messy? We have all been there. So, go get yourself some chocolate, a glass of wine or maybe two tacos for one dollar at Jack in the Box (Yes, I like these. Don’t judge me!), pick yourself up. You can do this!

What do you do to get out of a funk or when you’re having a hard day?  Do you have any tips for how to cope with these times?  I would love to hear your input.  I hope you have a sunny Spring weekend and get to enjoy some you time!