I am not a perfect mother and proud of it.

In honor of Mother's Day, it's important remember that moms do the best they can with what they've got.  I'm a careful parent, but not perfect.  I have slipped up...

I've...

Watched my son eat breakfast leftovers from underneath his high chair as a snack while talking on the phone.

Said (outloud), "Screw it!  You don't want to sleep? Let's play!" He didn't go to bed til 11pm.

Gone out with dried mangos in his hair (I missed it when wiping his face).

Packed the bottle but have forgotten the toddler formula so when he asked for, "Baba", I silently said, "Oh crap."  Went to Starbucks and bought a slice of banana bread and gave him half, plus a squeezable fruit pouch.  Lot's o' sugar.

Given him two teething biscuits while out and about just so he'll stop fussing so I can shop. 

Had a glass of wine at 4pm while making dinner on a particular day he did not nap (that was a tough day!)

I do have my finer moments though.  Days where I'm more patient than others and days where I actually remember to brush my hair. 

Finer moments include...

Cuddling with Austin for his nap times and, sometimes, napping with him for the whole two hours.

Playing peekaboo with the scarves I gave him.

Turning off the cell phone, laptop and playing for a couple of hour uninterrupted. 

Gymboree class!

Forgetting about having a perfectly clean house, laundry and dishes to take him to the park because the sun is out.

Carrying him around in the Ergo even though he's 15 months old (as of yesterday, yikes!) and him wiggling (dancing) as we go grocery shopping. 

Being a good mom isn't having a perfectly clean house, or having a baby "sleep through the night" or always remembering to brush your hair - it's spending quality time and loving time with your child.  It took me a while to know this...