I'm THAT Mom

That freaks out when my husband tries to carry our kiddos on his shoulders. He knows better than that. Or when I see little ones playing at the park on high places. Or toddlers on top of ladders. I picture head injuries left and right. I have finally let E explore at the park on her own... but it still terrifies me. And I'm usually {but trying hard to not be} in arms length. Yes, I am that mom.

That the thought of sending my children to school 8-4 and not seeing their stinky gross sweaty little bums all day? Sends me into full blown panic attacks. Yes, I am that mom that enjoys every second with my children...even when they drive me up the wall, over and over again... and because of them I have grey hair. At the ripe age of 26. Seriously....

That when given the option of doing something with friends or spending time with the family, I always choose family. Even if I only see my friends a couple times a year. I will be the one that says "yes" but then at the end start backing out. Yes, I am that mom that my friends talk about. I am working on saying yes more.

That if you were to ask someone that knew me to say just one thing about me.... they would probably say something around the lines of "Her life revolves around her kids." Yes, I am THAT mom that plans around my kids. That chooses to do things based on their schedules. That puts their needs first.  That broke that rule that people talk about.

That calls her little daughter her "best friend." Why is that so silly? It's not. I have three best friends. My husband, my daughter, and my son. Yes, I am that mom. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

That has to go to grandma and grandpa's house with the kids in order to make sure that they don't accidentally fall, that I'm there when they need me, and that I've kissed every "boo boo," skinned knees and all, right when it happens. The mom that is attached.

That goes out to dinner with her husband, that rare 2 times a year, and spend the whole time talking about our kids. Yes, that mom and that dad that broke that rule. Arrest me.

You see I am that mom just like you are that mom. Because that to me has no meaning at all. We are the moms we want to be. We are unique in our own ways. Parent differently. Discipline differently. Love differently.  Choose things different. Live differently. We cannot compare one to the other because we are just that... different.

So I will never apologize for putting my children first. I will never apologize for spending the amount of time that I do with my children. I will never apologize for anything that I do as a parent.

Yes, there are dreams out there. Careers for certain women. Rich, wonderful friendships to be had. Yes, I know this.

But to me? Those dreams and careers and close friendships are right here right within our home. Everything else? If it fits, it fits. If it doesn't? It doesn't.

Because at the end of the day, the only people I have to be accountable to... are my children. And that mom, I am proud of.