Confessions from a girl who is just not "that" mom

Becoming a mom is hard. Everyone has their opinions and does things their own way. The mommy wars abound. Hesitation in giving unsolicited parenting advice seems to be the one boundary that does not exist in the social realm. 

There is pressure. 

Pressure to be perfect, take all the right pictures, feed them the right way, enter your kid in all the right classes, and teach him all the right things. 

Well I am here to confess...I am just not that mom. I am not the perfect mom. See exhibits below:

This is as far as I made it on my "bump" pictures (half way is not too bad right?) And darn it. I should have at least taken one at the hospital to haunt her with years from now when she complains about the woes of pregnancy because trust me, that picture would have spoken volumes.

It got worse with monthly baby pictures. I only have month one.

And it was a pathetic attempt to be unique. Get it? One balloon for one month..and you add one every month. Clever huh? (thanks pinterest). And stressful to go to the store, on her exact month birthday (because of course it cannot be a day late) and get the number of balloons I need for that month. EVERY month. And then you see she looks like she is enjoying it right?!? (poor child). And yes she is naked because I could not find a onsie in every size that was the same...but you bet I wasted time looking for one.

I did not labor. Not by choice, of course, but still. And I was fine with that. I am confident God had a plan in my pregnancy and the way I gave birth. But it seems much of society is not okay with that. Yes, they cut through seven layers of my stomach, but somewhere along the way "we" apparently decided that is just a cop out for the natural way?!? It is not as hard or brave?!

I did not gain the "ideal" 30 pounds during pregnancy. Let's just say I am glad she was two weeks early!

I tried breastfeeding and that lasted seven whole days. I do not pump. I did not even try to. I give my baby formula.

I have a book for D - you know the usual - height/weight every month for a year, favorite things that month, etc. Half of it is blank. P's is completely blank.

I did not mail announcements for either of my children (GASP!). Facebook counts right?!?

I vaccinate my kids. On schedule.

I am not perfect. I miss a lot of things. I do not do everything the way society has deemed "right." But the truth is, if I was doing some of these things above, I would be missing out on THEM. Not that any mom who does all those things perfectly is missing out on her children, but for ME, I would be. So I am learning to throw those things to the wind and just focus on my babies.

Many of these things above I have researched. L and I have prayed and prayed over and come to the decision we feel God has led us to. And, I have learned, the best way is only God's way and following THAT is what is best. Having God approve of and smile upon my parenting...that is where the joy lies. Even when it is not the choice my friends are making for their children, and even if others believe I am poisoning my kid with formula and vaccines, the only answer I have is Jesus. He has led us to parent the way we do, and if your choices are completely opposite, and He led you to those, that is okay too.

At the end of all this, when my kids are grown, they may not have a perfectly styled picture of every month of their life, but I hope they will know this momma LOVES them. That I LOVE them like CRAZY and I would do anything for them. That I am not perfect but I would give up my career, body, life, comfort, and so much more to love them to the best of my ability. And ultimately, that we strive to parent them like God wants, even when we do mess up.

And as moms, and husbands of moms, and friends of moms...I say we cut out all the pressure and just love our babies the best we know how. The best way for OUR family. (Now if I can just convince myself.)