Why I'm Mom of the Year (And Why You Probably Are Too)

I think it is second nature for every mom to be overly critical of themselves... I mean we are raising human beings who are the future of our country (no pressure at all!). Ever since Tyler was born, I've been no exception to that rule, and have constantly nit-picked the things I do as a mother. For example, I remember sending him to daycare one day this past spring, and realized at about 10 am that I had forgot to send his nap stuff I had washed over the weekend. I felt TERRIBLE. How would my precious, sensitive son feel if he was the only kid without his nap stuff and had to sleep on an uncovered, sans-pillow cot at nap time? (I totally drove the 40 minute round trip to bring it to him by the way). Or there was the time I let Juliana nap on the couch while I was in the room with her, and during the 60 seconds I left the room to grab a snack I heard the dreaded thump of her falling to the ground. (No harm done thankfully, except to my mom-ego).

But recently I've been spending a lot of time with my children and they have helped me realize that no matter how many mistakes I make, or how I may look to anyone else, they love me unconditionally and I am their Mom of the Year.

In the middle of the night when Juliana cries, there is no one else she's rather have scoop her up and hold her than me. She lays her head against my shoulder and she seems so comforted and at peace because I'm there for her. When Tyler wakes up in the morning and pulls me into his playroom, he is so excited for ME to play with him. When I rock his Spiderman mask and Nerf gun, and ask him to help me hunt the "bad guys" in our house, he'll laugh and laugh like he's never seen anything funnier and I translate that to "you're the funniest mom EVER."

So while the world may see a mom who spoils her son by letting him wear pajamas to the store or lets him have M&Ms after breakfast, I'll choose to see a mom who picks her battles because she'd rather wear pajamas to the store herself and totally enjoys a little dessert after breakfast. And while the world may see a mom whose house looks like a tornado went through it some days, I'll choose to see a mom who had a BLAST with her kids and probably helped make some of the mess. While my facebook friends may see a mom who is way too open and/or obsessed with breastfeeding articles, I'll choose to see a mom who is proud to give up her time and energy to nourish her children the best way she sees possible and definitely wants other people to understand the importance of and support her decision. And while everyone may see a mom who has no make-up on and is likely wearing the same yoga pants she wore the day before, I see a mom who cares more about having her kids fed, entertained, and dressed than getting dolled up herself. And as for Tyler and Juliana, no matter how I look, they just see Mom.

So I'm done criticizing myself for the "mistakes" I make in mothering, and worrying about how others see me as a mother, because to my precious kiddos I'm the best Mom in the world. And that makes me Mom of the Year.