I know you are tired momma. Some days are exhausting and you feel broken. Some days are too much, but you keep going. No matter the stage you are in with raising your babies, it comes with so much weight the world around you can’t seem to see. I see you. You are amazing, you are a warrior, you are inspiring. From the chaos of the early days of not enough sleep, breastfeeding or bottle feeding, midnight changes, crying and comforting. You feel like some days you aren’t going to make it, but you keep going willing energy from some place unseen and unknown because your body sure doesn’t feel like it has it anywhere. I remember what it was like, sleepless months and exhaustion laying baby on a blanket in the floor next to you because you are so tired your eyes won’t stay open and your afraid to sit up with them your arms scared your body will give in and your arms will let go. Praying for rest, help, energy. You will get past it, you will survive it and you are doing just fine. Don’t listen to all of the unsolicited advice telling you what is right or wrong, every situation and child and mom is different there is no one size fits all recipe.
Bless you through the sleepless nights and bless you through the tantrums of a toddler. That sweet bundle of joy will come at you with a face of anger and scream from some horror movie. You will start to wonder is this my child, you will feel as if you are in the film Children of the Corn. Maybe you have a little Chucky or a Stewie from Family Guy. This too shall pass, you will feel at your wits end, once again asking yourself if you will survive. You will, in the mean time this little gremlin one minute, sweet and nurturing fruit of your womb will try your every nerve and patience, but you got this. Sometimes the absurdity of the tantrums or what sparked it will have you in stitches, other times you will be in tears. Once again, unsolicited advice will find you, feel free to ignore it. There is more than one right way, you do things your way. You keep going.
Why are you so tired? You have every right and reason to be tired you are now years in without enough sleep, rest, what is rest? You are the maid, the nurse, the discipliner, a teacher, a chef, a counselor, referee. Shoot, mom you have multitasking skills of a champion even if you aren’t the mom who is effortlessly making lunches from scratch in star shapes. You are excellent at time management and scheduling. You have management skills that some managers wish they had. You are an accountant for your household and some of you are providers too. Wow, it is incredible. Of course you are tired, you work overtime, no sick days, no vacation days.
Bless your soul in the teenage years, you won’t do anything right. You are going to catch attitude, stress will be at an all time high. You will lose sleep again, wait when did you get it back? They will be pushing the envelope of independence, going out with friends, you will worry and you will hope and pray for good decisions. You will be tired still, wondering will I survive this? How can I keep going? You can and you will. You aren’t appreciated, but some day you will be. It isn’t you, it’s them the transition into adulthood isn’t smooth for anyone. You have been there and done that yourself. This too shall pass. You will get that advice again let it go. You will always be mom no matter how old they become. You will worry about them. Some day your baby might have a baby of their own and then you get to be grandma and you will love, care and worry for more people, but you will be a veteran by then. An amazing leader in your family forged from the fire of the experiences of your journey through motherhood. You will be appreciated and you will keep going. You are an inspiration. I see you mommas and I appreciate you.
Confessions of a Haunting Freak 