WHAT TEN YEARS OF MOTHERHOOD HAVE TAUGHT ME

I was the perfect mom before I had kids.

Oh, my kids will sleep through the night – nope. Oh, we’ll never snack in the car – here comes the crumbs. Over the past ten years those little babes-turned-toddlers-turned-kids continued to have an immense power to toss my world upside down and send almost every preconceived notion of motherhood I had pre-kids right out the door.

What happened was I realized that the perfect mother doesn’t exist. And motherhood is always changing. I’m lucky to be able to celebrate 10 years of Mother’s Days with my guys in TOw and this double-digit milestone got me thinking of what those 3,650+ days of motherhood have taught me:

Ten years of motherhood has taught me to give and take. And it’s okay to give in. In fact choosing your battles is really the best mode of survival.

Ten years of motherhood has taught me that the hours between naptime, before bedtime can feel like eternity but the years are crazy short.

Ten years of motherhood has taught me you’re going to question yourself, likely even lose yourself  – physically, professionally. But you will slowly regain your ‘old’ self back, but only better. And in ways that you never knew you could.

Ten years of motherhood has taught me that girlfriends are golden. Never take them for granted. Don’t waste time on lukewarm friends.

Ten years of motherhood has taught me to ask for help. Accept help.

Ten years of motherhood has taught me that grandmothers – our mothers – are the ultimate gift to you and your kids.

Ten years of motherhood has taught me that everything is a phase.

I never thought that after ten years of motherhood, my eldest would still want hugs and cuddles (yes!); that I’d still be sleep-deprived (except it’s no longer their fault); and every time you for a bath, one of your kids will inevitably come in to use the washroom.

In ten years of motherhood, there is still nothing better than seeing your child be kind to others.

I couldn’t imagine ten years of motherhood without the best dad in TOw.

Happy Mother’s Day Moms in T.O. and moms everywhere!

One year a mom, 50 years a mom, what has motherhood taught you?