Many thanks to Sarah for sharing this (unconventionally) beautiful post with my readers while I'm on my blogging hiatus for the move. Make sure you read to the very bottom to hear about the brand new monthly linkup/picture submission Sarah and I will be hosting! We are so excited about this!
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My name is Sarah. I have a newborn, and a toddler, and I want to show you what real motherhood looks like. Oh, you know what it looks like for you, but if you've spent any time on Facebook on Instagram or Twitter or Pinterest, you might believe you're the only mom with an ironing board full of laundry in your dining room.
You might be tempted to think you're the only mom who leaves a stove full of dishes for the next day (or the next day).
You
might feel you're the only mom who wakes up to a counter strewn with
yesterday's failed smoothie attempt, muffin pans from last week, and
empty diaper boxes waiting to be thrown away.
In fact, you are not the only mom who lets her toddler jump on the couch, because you just can't deal with it right now.
You are not the only mom who decides to feed her son at the adult table because both high chair trays are dirty, and you can't clean them because your sink is full of dishes.
Are you the only one with nursing pump parts tossed in random places? No. You are not.
And,
while you fuss at your children for not picking up their own toys,
you're not the only mom who leaves her own shoes in random places--like
the guest bath.
This is what real motherhood looks like for me.. And please--these were the good parts. I'm not going to show you my bathroom,
or the inside of the toilet. You can't hear me yelling at my toddler
for the nineteenth time today because I am loosing my cool and there are
still three hours left till my husband gets home. I won't tell you that
I can't find my bible because I can't remember the last time I opened
it.
(Oh, and if you happened to see the inside of my trash can, you'd notice the Chick-fil-A wrappers from lunch.)
Some
of my very favorite mama bloggers focus on the positives aspects
of raising their families, and I enjoy seeing it--I really do. It's
good to be positive, isn't it? But on those days where I feel like I
just can't get a break, when I feel I am a failure as a mom, I am deeply
indebted to the women who are telling it like it is. Who are willing to
share the instagram-unworthy parts of life.
So here's to being real--really
real. Here's to the moments that aren't golden, the meals that aren't
balanced, the dishes that aren't washed. Here's to mamas who cower
before piles of laundry and duplos blanketing the floor, and who brave
it all to raise their little ones. Here's to you, mama of the kid whose
tummy gets filled and whose boo-boos get kissed. You are doing great.
We all are.
****
Sarah and I want to see What Real Motherhood Looks Like to you.
The messes. The tears. The things you usually don't see (or share) on social media. We will begin hosting a Real Motherhood linkup/picture submission on the first Monday of every month. You can participate in one of two ways:
The messes. The tears. The things you usually don't see (or share) on social media. We will begin hosting a Real Motherhood linkup/picture submission on the first Monday of every month. You can participate in one of two ways:
(1) Write a post including pictures of what Real Motherhood looks like to you and link up at one of our blogs (Mommy Notes or Messy Wife, Blessed Life). If you link up, please include a link back to us in your post. And/or you can use one of the buttons below.
(2) Email Mandi (messywifeblessedlife@gmail.com) a picture of your Real Motherhood for us to include in our monthly post. Include a caption if you want. It can even be anonymous.
The first link up will be Monday, September 2nd. (Labor Day. Fitting, huh?)
Yes, yes, yes to the mom shoes in the guest bathroom. Not even sure how it happens, but that is a staple over here!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Technically, I could blame it on my toddler...our shoes are always ending up random places ;)
DeleteThanks for hosting me, Mandi! So happy to do this with you :)
ReplyDeleteOhh this hit me on so many levels. You can ask Mandi that when she came over I was less than less than prepared for her to come. The nursing parts are a must for our kitchen/bathroom/bedrooms/nursery/cars what and wherever! This is great!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad!! Would you believe that colander with nursing parts IS STILL THERE? Ha!
DeleteThis is such a wonderful idea for a link-up! I've been taking a little break from blogging because I have a one year old and I'm pregnant with our second and "real motherhood" just doesn't seem worthy enough to share these days. This might be just the encouragement I needed to know that that it could actually be more blog worthy than putting on an "everything's perfect" act. I can't wait to link up!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what you link up! The truth is, I know so many women who want to see "real" motherhood, and not the cleaned up, photographed version! What you have to say and share might mean a lot to someone else!
DeleteIt IS more blog worthy! I'm really excited for the link up too...and looking forward to seeing your post :D
DeleteThis is a great idea and so comforting to SEE that I am not the only one with rough mommy days. I know I am not, of course, but seeing it brought me some strength. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome :D
DeleteThis is a great idea and so comforting to SEE that I am not the only one with rough mommy days. I know I am not, of course, but seeing it brought me some strength. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteA great idea Mandi!
ReplyDeleteI could relate to this post a little too well. Thank you for reminding me I am not the only one who struggles to keep up with the housework sometimes. Looking forward to the new link up!
ReplyDelete