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Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Your Children Want YOU.

And we're back, friends!  We arrived home close to midnight last night, and my child was WIDE awake.  I finally laid her in the crib that way (but swaddled) and let her talk herself to sleep so I could pump.  And sleep she did, thank the Lord.  I've spent the day so far trying to catch up around the house (it's harder than it sounds!).

While I was away, I read an article that I noticed quite a few of my Mommy friends had posted to Facebook.  It's called, "Your Children Want YOU" from The Power of Moms blog.  Have you read it?  If not, you should.  It's targeted at Moms, but I think the message is important for everyone.

It's so easy to compare yourself to others and second guess your abilities as a mother.  I was talking with my sister-in-law the other week about how the moment you have children, it seems like everything is a competition.  You know someone whose child can perform a complete singing and tapdancing routine at 2 months of age?  Oh, that's cool, my kid has perfected the art of blowing out her diaper all over herself and me on a regular basis.  And in an eating (a LOT) and subsequently developing sweet little fat rolls competition, Lillian would win hands down.  Try THAT on for size.  My sister-in-law was telling me about someone she knew who insisted that her child was standing up at 1 month old.  It turned out that by "standing" she meant (obviously) stretching his legs out really straight and standing with support from his parents.  Seriously?  So when I read this article, it really hit home, and had me thinking.  Why do we feel the need to compete?  Why do we feel the need to compare ourselves to other parents, and our children to other children?  This doesn't really apply only to parenting, but all aspects of our lives.

Social media has become both my best friend and worst enemy in this regard.  I mean really, have you SEEN some of the nurseries that are featured on Pinterest and various other websites?  I had every intention of getting Lilly's done before she arrived, but due to a series of complications, it didn't happen.  She is now 2.5 months old and doesn't have a completed nursery.  Whoops.  And don't even get me started on the baby showers and birthday parties.  I find myself wondering WHERE these women find the time (and money - they clearly do not have a bank account nazi stalker husband such as mine).  Case in point, a baby shower featured on one of my favorite blogs, Chic & Cheap Nursery (all images below courtesy of their website):






I have thrown quite a few showers in my day, and after each one I felt like I did a good job with them.  But not a single one of them were as elaborate as the one pictured above images.  Seriously?  Who can compete with that?!  I have not yet gone back to work (don't want to talk about it!), and I still can't find time to even take a shower some days, much less have a spotless house and cook dinner for my husband every night (I'm working on it!). 

I would love to challenge myself to stop looking at blogs, Pinterest, Facebook, etc.  However, we all know I love them all too much to give them up (it's a problem, I know).  So instead, my challenge to myself is to not be so hard on myself.  Who cares if there is dog hair on the couch?  Who cares if I have a box full of keepsakes that I keep telling myself I'm going to turn into a scrapbook for Lilly but haven't yet found the time?  Who cares if I still have not ordered a single picture of the 2839473284 I've taken throughout Lilly's 2.5 months of life to hang in my house in picture frames that I made by myself from blades of grass found in my back yard (I'm sure someone's done that before and there is a tutorial to be found - LOL)?  Not Lilly, that's for sure.  Dan may care a little (mainly about the dinner part), but if he does, he's been too polite to say so, and I love him even more for that.  The truth is, I have all I need already.

Daddy playing with Lilly before he had to leave for work

Tummy Time
Naked tummy time with Aunt Syd

Naked play time on my favorite mat!

The cheeks!  I die.
I have a happy, (very) healthy baby whose face lights up when she hears my voice.  I have a dreamy, loving husband who is the best Daddy in the world and doesn't say a word when he comes home some days to find that I'm still in my pajamas and the house is a wreck.  And as for cooking dinner every night and having a clean house?  I'll get there.  :-)

Sarah

PS - Did you vote today?  ;-)

2 comments:

  1. It sure is nice to know that I'm not the only one that has gone through this. haha. I dont work, other than 31, and my house still has times where I dont have time to clean it! LOL. I promise...it will get better though. BUT...now the house is "messy" from lack of you being able to find time to clean it up. VERY soon...it will be as soon as you clean it..you precious lil love will go behind you and pull out all of her toys and have them EVERYWHERE! I wouldnt trade it for ANYTHING though!! ;) **enjoy it girl!**

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  2. Great post! Our dog is named Layla too :)

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