this one is for you mommas

The aches and pain of your growing belly are worth it. The stretch marks that have now made their home around your waist and thighs are worth it. That all-day every day nausea is worth it. Sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room for over an hour every month is worth it. Not being able to share a margarita with your girlfriends is worth it. Having moments where you can’t seem to recognize who you are anymore because of the hormones is worth it. Fighting with your husband for no and every apparent reason is worth it. That pain that harbors in your sternum and doesn’t let you fully breathe is worth it. Waking up ten times in the middle of the night to go pee is worth it. Your swollen and aching feet are worth it. Those dark spots on your face that require extra concealer are worth it. That yummy glucose test is worth it. Even if you have to repeat it multiple times. Labor is worth it. Waddling with an incision while you accustom yourself to a new baby is worth it. That pain that comes along with milk filled breast, the kind that feel as if they were to explode is worth it. The sleepless nights. The four AM emergency room visits. The wrinkles and gray hairs. Giving up freedom. Pooping with company. Dirty hair. Hairy legs. Explosive diarrhea day. My phone got thrown in the toilet day. Someone threw away the TV remote in the garbage day. Milk spills over the just cleaned floor. Pancake syrup on the sofa. Did I mention the loss of perky boobs? they are also worth it. Sharing your lunch. Ruined blouses and dresses. Permanent marker on the walls. Smelly car seats. Toy invasions. Broken lipsticks, pencils and eyeliners. Getting poked in the eye with a dinosaur tail. Learning every annoying nursery rhyme and singing it out loud. In public. I could write a never-ending list of everything that makes motherhood worth it. Everything that makes non-moms look at you and think you are a lost case. Things that you don’t even know why they are happening to you right now… why me.. why would anyone self-consciously put themselves through this? And it’s all because of them. The babies. The children. The little monsters that take over our heart. They make anything and everything worth it.

You may not be having a great day today. Maybe its been one of those that you couldn’t wait to tuck away as a yesterday. Maybe you thought for a bit too long while taking a shower about that one thing that keeps you up at night. Maybe today you looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize yourself. Not because your not happy or grateful, but because you are just a different you. Or maybe today is the greatest day. Today they slept through the night for the first time. Or it’s been a full day of successful potty-training. Or maybe its one of my personal favorites, you went shopping and found something you had been looking for on sale. Plus you had an extra 20% off coupon. Score. Whatever kind of day you are having, take a moment to give yourself a hug or accept the one I am offering you. You are a woman who has taken on so many roles and responsibilities and you are doing exceptionally well. Your baby/kids/toddlers/cat/dog are alive!!! They are loved!!! And for the most part, well fed and rested (give or take a few skipped naps). They have your undivided support and attention whenever they need you. You make sure that their every need is always taken care of. And when you make a mistake, you always find a way to make it up to them (and feel guilty about it later). They mean everything to you and you take the good with the bad everyday no matter what.

I had a friend text me the other day and tell me that I was doing a great job. That she looked up to me. Me… the crazy mom that looks like a circus act at Target who refuses to stay home with her wild children. That message just hit home and made me think that even if we don’t have everything as “perfect” as we would want it to be, to someone else, we are doing a great job. Hearing it from her had me about to cry because she had no idea I needed some form of comfort in that very moment. I wasn’t having the greatest of nights. Her kind words just gave me an extra push to finish the day on a happy note. All the effort is more than worth it. So this is me sharing it with you. You are doing great. I am proud of the mom you have become. Of the woman that you are. And no amount of spilled cheerios that have been hiding inside of that car seat will ever change that. 🙂

Speaking of moms that I am proud of and love, this is my lovely friend Yeily. We tend to do a lot of things in life at the same time. Get married. Have babies. Loose our minds and so forth. This time around though she is welcoming her second daughter into her family and I get to fully enjoy watching and admiring her without a bump of my own. As I loaded these images from their family maternity session, I couldn’t help but want to dedicate a preview post just to these tender mommy moments. Yeily and her two girls. I cannot wait to see her with one in each hand. Both in her lap. And each one fighting over her lipstick. My love, you are one hot mom. Pregnancy has got nothing on you. I know I’ve been sending you teasers and previews on your phone, but here’s a couple more of whats to come.

If you would like to see Yeily’s first maternity session with Olivia click here.

Monday ladies… Monday. We can get through another week with a smile and a spill-proof sippy cup no problem. It’s my wedding anniversary coming soon and I can’t quite decide if I want to give him a “a full day of taking care of the twins card” or a “let’s make another baby and go nuts card”… tough decisions I tell ya. 🙂 Stay tuned this week for the rest of Yeily’s maternity session and more family session previews!