"That Mom"

I have a confession, I'm becoming "that Mom". I've either been out on my own at night when the kids are asleep or out during the day with them both and been caught looking a little frumpy.

No shower. No make up. Caught!

Before embarking on my journey as a Mother I always said:"I'm never going to look like that Mom. I'm going to keep up with myself."

Well my friends, the day has come, I've done it, I've started to just not care as much what people think. I can be seen periodically looking like "that Mom".

Let's talk about what "that Mom" means. It's the Mom who didn't shower because she was too busy feeding her baby and fighting with her 3 year old to get dressed. Knowing she only had 2 hours before the next feeding or nap for the baby, she had to just go out without a shower or else she'd just use the entire time showering and then have to breastfeed again and never leave the house.

The Mom that didn't brush her hair. For me, my hair is falling out big time at the moment. Handfuls upon handfuls are just all over the house, the shower, the sink, the bathroom, my clothes, probably in our food. It's crazy. Postpartum hair loss is another one of those things no one really tells you about. So yes, my hair is half gone now so it doesn't look great down or up. I just have to live with it. She also probably didn't brush it because she could hear her 3 year old being way too quiet in the bathroom, walked in and discovered 2 empty tubes of toothpaste! Seriously.. kids are nuts. That's what I get for asking him to brush his own teeth. I later found out that they weren't full, but still... that can't be good for him. At least I buy the fluoride free stuff. 

The Mom who is wearing yoga pants--all the time. So ya, I wear my only 2 pairs of pants that I can fit in most of the time. They're stretchy enough to make me comfy and tight enough to hold in the mummy tummy. I'm sure 85% of women who just had a baby don't want to put on pants with buttons and zippers. Hello muffin top! No thanks. I just don't feel like spending money on clothes to fit this body because I don't plan on it sticking around for long. However, I just need to be comfortable enough to keep up to a busy toddler and lug around a 50 pound car seat at the same time. Bum wiping, bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, cooking too, it's all hard work, equally as hard or harder than a workout some days, so why can't I wear workout clothes?

The Mom who isn't even wearing make-up. That's right, if I don't have time to shower, how would I have time to wear make-up? The thing is, I probably should be making the time to wear some because my eyes are just so tired looking these days. I actually have dark circles now. Lack of sleep does some crazy stuff. Sometimes I think it might be leftover mascara from another day, so I try to use more make-up remover and nothing changes. Darn. 

The Mom who has puke on her shirt. Yep. Me. I showed up to nursery school pick-up the other week with fresh puke on my shirt. I just wiped it off with my hand/sleeve and ran out the door. I was already cutting it close on time and didn't want to be late. Of course I changed the baby's clothes. Most people pay more attention to him anyway.. thankfully! haha!

The thing I realized about all of this, which had me laughing so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks and I think my husband was starting to think I was going crazy,  because I was SO tired one evening was, I just don't even care.

I don't care. People can judge, just as I did prior to kids, but now that I'm deep into it all, I know that my appearance on these days is a reflection of me being a great Mom, a Mom who is putting my kids first before myself, a Mom who rolls around on the basement carpet with my son and isn't afraid to be silly, a Mom who kisses my baby so much my lips hurt, a Mom who is passionate about being a Mom. That is all that matters. I'm doing a good job and doing my best to take care of my family. My hair will grow back, my belly will shrink and I will eventually find more time to pamper myself, but right now, I just want to focus on my kids and make sure they are a priority too.

 I should note that I do take time for myself to stay healthy. I have a great supportive husband that almost forces me to go to hot yoga or the gym to find my own balance. I know I need that to continue to be a great Mom, I'm just talking more about the vanity side. I don't look at other Mom's the same way I used to anymore. I see now how easy it can be to get caught up in the days and weeks and months. It's hard to fit it all in and look perfect while doing it all. I also see how much of an achievement it really is to put on make-up and shower before leaving the house with 2 small kids. It's hard!

My boys!

Today my 3 year old son told me: " Your hair is beautiful Mommy." That made my day. He has loved me at 198 pounds, at 138 pounds and many other numbers in between. I am still me. My kids don't need me to wear fancy clothes and make-up. They need me to be their Mom. I'm not saying I don't care what I look like and am just letting myself go. I'm just putting it all into perspective. Instead of worrying about applying make-up before leaving the house, I read books, sing songs, make healthy breakfast together or play imaginative games with my kids. Those are the things that really matter, not what I look like.

I'm proud to be "that Mom"... even the one who forgot to shave her legs! ooops!