What kind of Mother are you?

 Last night our house had a big bedtime battle. Most nights bedtime is a battle, but last night felt like a World War compared to most.
 After the kids finally went down, one in the hallway, and the other on his bedroom floor, I sat down took a deep breath and found myself asking "What kind of mother am I if I cannot even get my kids to bed at night without a fight?" I went to bed feeling overwhelmed and incompetent as a mother.
  I woke up this morning to two bright eyed kids who seemed to have forgotten a mommy who yelled and got angry. They both wanted to snuggle and draw me pictures. They still loved me and I even got a note from my son that said "Cool Mom"
  Let me first tell you what kind of mom I am not. I am not a mom who serves homemade meals every night. Actually more nights than I care to admit 5:00 comes around and I haven't even thought of dinner. I throw my hands up and put noodles and sauce on for yet another dinner of spaghetti. My house is never clean all at once. Not even with company coming, please if you come to visit don't look in my walk-in closet or at the giant bathtub in my bathroom that works perfectly as a dirty clothes bin in a pinch, and probably stay away from the mudroom as that is a very good storage place for a quick clean up as well.

  In the summer I am the kind of mom who tosses a bottle of shampoo at the kids in the pool and call it a bath. I also allow my kids to dress up in plastic bags and allow my son to put makeup on his sister and cousin.

I am the kind of mom who is not afraid to rock out to Justin Beiber, or get dirty in the mud. I let my kids go mud puddle hoping in the rain (I think that is the Oregonian in me) I am the kind of mom who will occasionally allow ice cream or leftover pizza for breakfast. Insert gasp! I love my children with all  my heart and sole. I am not afraid to apologize to them when I have yelled too much or been impatient for no reason. My kids know that I love them. I will fight for them even when others won't. I allow them to be who they are without any questions. My daughter will not wear anything that resembles frilly or girly, this Easter she wore a suit and tie that matched her brothers. My son's favorite color is purple and hot pink and that is ok too. I don't allow labels or stereo types to decipher who my kids are than why would I allow them to decide what kind of mother I am? God blessed me with two very unique children. He in trusted me with them because he knew I would be a perfect mother for them. What kind of Mother are you? I challenge you to look at what kind of mom you are to your kids and not what kind of mom others are. Because just as each child is unique and different and we embrace this, each mother is as well and we too should embrace the mother's we are and not worry about the kind of mothers we are not. Our children do not love us for what who we are not. They love us for who are.

Embracing the Messy...

  This is a picture of my living room twenty minutes after the kids woke up this morning. How do such little people make such big messes in so little time?
  This morning was rushed from the time the alarm went off. Actually I don't have an alarm I have two kids that come running into my bed ready for the day every morning by 6:00.  I stumbled downstairs quickly started my morning coffee. I then got the kids each breakfast. As they sat down at the table with them I noticed dirty finger nails and grass stained bare knees from the prior evening's soccer practice. I announced to the kids we need to take a bath before we leave for the dentist. My son replied with "I just took a bath last...When did I take a bath?" Precisely my point son, as I herd them upstairs I am trying to figure out just when the last time I did bathe them. Goodness life has been so crazy lately I cannot even remember.
  I get Ella started in the shower "not too hot, not too cold mom" then get Avery in the tub. While they are getting clean or at least cleaner than they started because I don't have time to observe I quickly throw a little bit of make up and brush my hair. I send Ella to find clothes as I get Avery a towel. Ella comes back wearing a batman shirt, brothers jeans, and boxers instead of her underwear. Insert roll of eyes, send kids downstairs.
  Downstairs I toss Avery's reading book at him and each a pair of socks. Sign his homework sheet. Pack lunches and backpacks and it is time for the dentist.
  After the dentist I drop Avery off at school, and get Ella to school just in time. When Ella and I get to school she has a little melt down. She is a little overwhelmed from all the rushing and needs some time with mommy. I think about the mess from the am and how the plumber is coming and I want to get it cleaned up. I also look at my six year old and remember what it feels like to be overwhelmed and just need a minute to be with someone familiar. I spend 15 minutes with her in her classroom while she eats her snack. When I get home I still have a few minutes to clean up but I leave it. I think back to Ella and the way she looked at me and how I almost left her because I felt I needed to clean for the plumber. I think about the messy morning and how frustrated I was by the time we walked out the door. I decide to embrace the messy. Because if I am too focused on the messy I will miss more special moments like I had with Ella today. I will continue to be overwhelmed with mornings like today and not take time to just be.