Week 9: Mother of the Year

I had a potentially disastrous morning today: I was cleaning the bedroom when I noticed the sun coming up.  Thinking that it might be a good photo opt, I quickly threw on some jeans and flats, grabbed Alex and my camera, and headed outside.  Yep, it was 28 degrees outside, but we were only going to be outside for a second, so who really needs a coat?  It was only after our photo venture that I realized the front door was locked. . .and while I typically use the keypad on the side door, I suddenly remembered that there was a very good possibility that the deadbolt was locked, along with the patio door.  I had a mini heart attack when I realized I didn't have keys, phone, or a bra for that matter, and trying to convince one of my neighbors to let me use their phone at 7:15 in the morning in that state while holding my son who was probably freezing in his pjs just seemed. . . AWKWARD!  While it would have made for much better story, I'm grateful to say that Matt had let the cat out earlier this morning, and so the deadbolt was unlocked.  THANK GOODNESS!!  Mother of the year for taking my child outdoors in the freezing cold and almost locking us out of the house all for the sake of a picture?  Yeah, I don't think so. 

Was it worth it?  Hard to say. . .

But hey, I do deserve some points for taking Alex to the zoo last week.  He had refused to take a nap, then fell asleep in the car on the way up, and frankly didn't seem overly thrilled to be there, but he did enjoy looking at a few of the animals and it's always nice to get out of the house.  And yes, I made sure to put a coat AND a hat on him that time :).

Being a mom is hard, there is no doubt about that.  Emotion levels are through the roof; one minute you are questioning why you ever wanted kids in the first place as he lays on the floor screaming  because you are the meanest parent in the whole wide world because you won't let him play with that knife that he DESPERATELY wants to play with, while the next minute you can't believe how much you love him as he lies there peacefully asleep.  You love your children, and you want them to be happy, healthy, and successful in everything they do.  But with that love comes the need to compare, and for some reason the need to impart knowledge to everyone else about their kids.  I find the polarity of the mothering world a bit overwhelming.  "Oh, so you actually feeding your child high fructose corn syrup?"  "What activities are you doing today to encourage fine motor skills in your child?"  There are an amazing number of hot topics in the mothering world, and everyone seems to have a strong opinion on everything from breastfeeding in public, to sleep training, to circumcision.  I suddenly feel like a horrible mother for allowing my child to eat cheetos on occasion.  I am left wondering if my child is stupid because he's not really talking yet.  Maybe it's because of something that I have or haven't done.  I'm sure there's someone out there who would argue that it is because I. . .dare I say it. . .had him vaccinated! 

It is easy to get caught up in the drama, and while I tend to be more of a middle grounder on most topics (I don't care if you breastfeed in public but please throw a blanket over you, I do love my white bread but yes I will stay away from those disgusting processed frozen chicken nuggets) I have found myself comparing my child to others, and being overly critical of other people's parenting skills.  And for that, I apologize.

In all of our caring and judging, it can be easy to forget what is really important - our kids.  Ultimately it comes down to this: if you are doing everything in your power to take care of your kids in whatever way you think is best, then by all means, you are mother of the year!  So what if you lock your family outside in the middle of winter without a coat?  Things happen!  Ladies, please, don't feel guilty when you eat half a gallon of ice cream straight from the carton after your child goes down for a nap because it has been "one of those days".  Let's be honest, you both survived the morning and sometimes that's a feat in and of itself!  Don't feel guilty when all your child has eaten all day are goldfish crackers and string cheese; maybe tomorrow he will decide to consume some vegetables.  Focus on why we really do what we do, forget what everyone else says, and life suddenly becomes so much better! 

This is an older picture, but is still one of my favorites!

With that I will step down from my soap box.

Happy photographing!