Sunshine and Sippy Cups

“The moment a child is born,
the mother is also born.
She never existed before.
The woman existed, but the mother, never.
A mother is something absolutely new.”
 – Rajneesh

Finding out that you’re pregnant changes you.

I’m not just talking about the fact that you soon won’t be able to buckle your pants, followed a few months later by the disappearance of your ankles. And I’m not talking about the mood swings {from joy and overwhelming happiness, to fear and overwhelming anxiety- in the same 5 minutes}, or the food cravings, or the nesting instinct.

No, what I’m talking about is a different change- You become a mother. Even before you’ve seen the baby on an ultrasound. Before you know if it’s a boy or a girl. You suddenly become more aware of your body- what you put in it, what you breath, how you live. You make big changes- no more coffee or alcohol, more fruits and veggie’s, and the big one- starting Prenatal Vitamins.

From Pringles to Prenatals:

I’d always eaten moderately healthy, and was active, but had never given too much thought to what I put into my body. But, once you realize you’ve got a little person in there, already relying on you to make the best choices, well- that can be a big wake-up call!

I was determined to give my little peanut the best start possible- eating right and taking my vitamins, becoming more aware of things like organic foods and low-VOC paints, and doing my best each day to protect her and help her grow!

Fast Forward to Today:

Now, I’m the lucky momma of a toddler- and still trying to be the best mom I can be! As moms, we sometimes forget to take time for ourselves, {of course we forget- how do you remember ANYTHING when you have a baby in the house?} but it’s SO important!

To be the best mom you can be, you have to be the best YOU that you can be. That means taking a break sometimes, to do something “grown-up”, something you love- that you loved back in your former, “pre-momma” days. It means making time to eat healthy meals {not just snagging a stray tator-tot that’s left-over on someone’s plate and calling it dinner!}, and taking a daily vitamin or two, to ensure you get everything you need to keep up with a fast-moving kiddo.

Do your best, forget the rest!

That’s my philosophy. Every day I do the best I can. I’m the best mom I can be, the best me I can be, and encourage my daughter to grow into the best HER that she can be. I don’t get everything right- If I raise my voice, I apologize. If she makes a mess, we clean it up together. If my diet isn’t perfect, I know that the daily vitamin I take each day helps cover the gaps. I know I’m doing my best, and I bet you are too. And that really is good enough. Share your mommy stories with me in the comments…

We may not have it all together, but together we have it all!

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Nature Made and received promotional items to thank me for taking the time to participate. Vote for my entry on Facebook between 9/20/11 and noon (PT) 9/26/11.}