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Saturday, November 9

Guest Post: 12 Milestones for Moms by Erica Layne

Hey guys! Thanks so much for being so patient with the scattered posts here on the blog lately, but between the long days of labor leading up to the birth and now with working to get back on our feet after the birth (quite literally:)) I'm so lucky to have a few of my favorite mommy blogger friends that will be taking over her and there to help me out! Today I'm so happy to have Erica Layne from Let Why Lead. Thanks so much Erica! xoxo
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We watch eagerly for our children to hit their milestones. We're bursting to show the whole world when our baby learns to clap...or sit up...or (eventually) write his name.
What we sometimes miss, though, are the milestones we're hitting—as moms.
milestones for moms
Do you remember the first time you—
  1. Wore a shirt inside out all day long.
  2. Administered infant's tylenol and prayed with all your heart that it would soothe your red-cheeked angel.
  3. Ended up as wet as your baby after a bath (and realized it might be time to move that kicking, splashing babe out of the sink and into the tub).
  4. Walked through Target without your child and wanted to tell everyone you saw that you are a mother now.
  5. Interpreted your child's words for someone else's untrained ear.
  6. Pointed out a road roller to your toddler while driving (and wondered when you learned the proper names for construction equipment).
  7. Burned something to smithereens on the stove while you attended to a more pressing crisis (a fight over whose turn it is with the ipad).
  8. Said no (again) and held your ground—and then said yes later, when you remembered they're only children once.
  9. Cursed yourself for not locking the door while you were in the shower. :)
  10. Introduced older siblings to a new baby in the hospital, swooning at the tender way they stroked the new baby's hair.
  11. Helped your daughter with her first official homework packet.
  12. Noticed that your son always wants to yell goodbye to a certain pretty classmate. (His first crush!)
These milestones tell an important story. They tell about the woman in the background. They tell about a woman who is learning to answer others' needs before her own. They tell about a woman whose greatest wish in life is for her children to be safe, happy, and confident.
So the next time you take to instagram to show the world your little one's newest trick, take just a second out of your chaotic life as a mom to think about how your milestones matter, too.
erica layne
{ Erica Layne writes at Let Why Lead, a place for the purposeful wife and mom. She's on a mission to help women believe that their best is good enough. If you want to live intentionally and accept yourself at the same time, please visit her on facebook, pinterest, or letwhylead.com. Best wishes! {photo credit}

16 comments:

  1. That was beautiful. It makes me look forward to being a mother. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks so much, Tamera! It is definitely a wild ride but the biggest blessing in my life. I'm sure you'll feel the same. Best to you!

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  2. Oh yes! I relate to so many of them! :)) I remember how excited I was when my oldest came home with her reading packet.:))

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    1. Thank you, Erika! (Also, we have the same name!) You sound like you have a teacher heart. I'm still on the fence about the reading packets. :) I'm off to check out your blog right now! Have a good night! - Erica

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  3. Yes! Beautiful. Sometimes I catch myself telling whoever-will-listen about the smallest little new tricks my little girl is doing and then remember "yeah, they probably don't care as much as I do!" Being a mom is so all-encompassing!

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    1. Thanks, Anita! I saw you shared, too, from Emily's facebook page. Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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  5. Confession: my daughter said "cookie" yesterday and out of habit I said "no, no cookies." And then your post came to mind (#8 in particular) and I thought, oh what the heck? There is no harm in a cookie even if it is only five minutes until dinner. (She doesn't get a lot of sweets from me, usually from her Mommom or Grandma.) So yeah, I changed my mind and gave her a cookie and I enjoyed watching her enjoy it. :) Thanks for the beautiful reminder that it's okay to say yes!

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    1. I loved this, Claire! Thank you so much for taking the time to let Emily and I know how this post came to mind later on. Life's too short to not eat cookies before dinner! (At least every now and then, right?) I love it when I have those moments, too—when I decide not to pick that battle and just watch the joy spread instead. Take care, girl!

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  6. All so true, I ticked them all too!

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  7. Loved this! I am constantly talking about my children to anyone who will listen.

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  8. Okay you just made having a baby today that much better. Teared up!

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  9. So sweet! Teared up! It makes having a baby that much better today. I have lots of great things to look forward to.

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  11. That was beautiful.It is definitely a wild ride but the biggest blessing in my life. I'm sure you'll feel the same. Best to you! We will, continue to do our best to improve our efforts on all fronts to better our standards to serve our clients and the society. معدات إنشائية

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