Messy Mom Mondays

I'm not normally a link-up kind of blogger.

Mostly because I get easily overwhelmed when something has some kind of "Blog about this on this day" kind of structure.

But then, last week, after my frank revelation that no mom - and least of all me - has it all together, I got some inspiration from all of you.

Your comments had me in tears, laughing. They had me nodding my head emphatically, agreeing with you. You all left me feeling like I was in amazing company.

Then, after convening with one amazing mama of four, Jess, over at Dude and Sweeties, we came up with a great idea - an idea that, we hope, can allow all of us mamas who try and have it all together, but sometimes fall a bit short, to revel in the fact that we are great parents even when our face to the world is less than perfect.

Hence Messy Mom Monday.

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Because it's almost always physically impossible to have the laundry done and a healthy meal on the table and a clutter-free living room floor and a happy husband riding the couch and children who are entertained, clean, and out of trouble.

Especially if you want to take a shower yourself that day.

It's life; something's always gotta give.

And, in this link-up, our aim is to show it.

Admit that you haven't dusted in three weeks. Admit that you don't fold your laundry. Admit that your haven't shaved your legs since swim-suit season.

Admit it.

After all, those short-comings? Those little imperfections and things you've let slide? They probably mean you had an amazing afternoon of imaginative play with your kids. Or took the time to actually listen to your husband when he told you how his day was.

They don't mean you're a bad a mom. Or a bad person. (After all, non-moms are allowed and encouraged to join in, too.)

They just mean you're human. Messy. Imperfect.

And there's nothing to be ashamed of in that.

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OK, so enough talking. Let's walk the walk, shall we?

My house, on Sunday, looked like a storm blew threw.

We'll call that storm Ella. Teething Ella.

Girlfriend is whiny and clingy and a nursing machine.

She's also wearing this.
Because I haven't washed baby clothes in a week and a half, I had nothing else to put her in. Hence the aqua and green hoodie with the patriotic, navy-blue, star-covered pants. And the lack of socks because, despite freezing temperatures, she insists on kicking them off because she insists on learning to crawl. Little stinker.

Then there's me.
I threw a sweatshirt on when I ran to the grocery store, but I had to nurse Ella when we got home, so I just whipped that sucker off, and I've been walking around like this ever since.

No bra. Ill-fitting undershirt. Lopsided boobs, on account of the fact that I'm too busy to pump. And baggy pants falling off my waist because they were the sole pair of pants that fit me post-partum, though now that I'm smaller than I was pre-baby, I still wear them, hiking them up with one hand while holding the babe with the other.

Why? Well, it's not because they're attractive. It's because I'm too lazy (and broke) to go out and buy pants that actually fit.

And let's not even talk about the hot-mess that is the actual mirror. Apparently, I need to go get the glass cleaner.

Then there's the house.
Look closely, and you will see how my day went to pot.
That's piles of laundry I was folding around Ella and her toys. Until she wasn't placated anymore, so I grabbed more toys. When that didn't work, I grabbed more toys. And musical instruments. And an activity cube.

Then, I got side-tracked and decided to bust out my planner and start making some lists. So that's down there, too. Not to mention my hubby who had to be called in upon his waking at 4:30 p.m. (he's working night-shifts right now) because his child would not stop whining long enough for me to finish the half load of laundry I started folding seven hours before that.

And, yes, those are my stinking husband's running shoes shoved under the coach. He does stuff like that all the time, and it drives me bonkers.

But you know how long those shoes have been there?

At least a week.

Apparently, my exhausted state has forced me to let go.

More proof that I'm letting go? The drying rack filled with cloth diapers.

That have been there for three days.
I know I've blogged for about my amazingly efficient and easy cloth-diapering system.

Yeah, well, the system sometimes breaks down.

Case in point: Diapers drying on a rack just in time so that, when I need a clean one, I grab it straight off the rack. Forget folding them and putting them away.

Not today, anyway.

Not that today was a total waste.

My kitchen, luckily, is semi-clean. And I did manage to walk away enough to spend some quality time with my girl outside, blowing bubbles and getting our Vitamin D.
Sure, I could have used some of that time to fold more laundry or finally get those shoes out from under the couch.

Heck, I could have used that time to put on make-up. Can't remember the last time I even thought about doing that.

But when it comes down to it, I'd still choose Ella every day of the week, mis-matched clothes and all.

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OK, now it's your turn. Tell us all about your Messy Mom Mondays and link-up below!

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