Becoming a good mom, one hour at a time
The other day I was driving home when I saw the google maps car zipping along in front of me. I cracked up, which made my girls ask, “What are you laughing at, Mama?” Well, the funny way time passes was what made me laugh—but that would have made little sense to my kids, who just turned 3 and 5.
I told them a story instead. Read more
It’s hard to believe that 3 years ago, my beautiful Peeper made me a mom.
I will never forget that day. Early that morning I woke with contractions. A bit later, Eric, my sister, Finn and I went for a hike. My water broke on the car ride home. At the hospital, I endured excruciating back labor that made me wild with fear. But just after 9pm, I met the tiny person who had grown from two joined cells to an entire person, and my life broke open in the most joyous way possible.
Peeper’s third birthday marks a division in my life—a clear before and after. But she continues to rock my world every day we spend together. Read more
The internet is filled with blog posts just dripping with mommy guilt. These posts are about how a mom lost her temper, yelled or lost her patience or cried or otherwise acted imperfectly, then tearfully apologized to her kids. These posts are about moms trying to forgive themselves.
This is not one of those posts.
Peeper is two and three-quarters years old, but she is more emotionally mature than many adults I know. (Sorry, guys!)
Take, for example, the other day when I spilled something in the kitchen while Peeper was eating breakfast. I must have made some grumpy grunt, because she asked what was wrong. “I’m just frustrated,” I replied.
She slid off her booster seat and walked over to me. She wrapped her arms around my legs and planted a yogurt-covered kiss on my knee.
“It’s ok that you’re frustrated, Mommy,” she said. “Now do you feel better?”
How could I not? 
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