What did You do Today Momma?

The sun is going down and the babies are finally in bed, for how long is anyone’s guess. You look around your house and sigh. Toys are scattered across the floor. Sticky fingerprints line the dinner table. Clothes are spilling over the hamper.  Your bedroom floor has baskets of clean clothes needing folded. Dirty dishes are cluttering the sink. The dishwasher needs emptied. There are half eaten snacks on the counter. As you look at the chaos, you ask yourself, “What did I even do today?”

You did so much more valuable work than you can see, Momma.

You practiced counting monsters, markers and pieces of pepporoni, helping little brains learn.

You jumped, skipped and danced to Cocomelon’s greatest hits, teaching the importance of moving your body.

You kissed chubby cheeks and tickled soft bellies, making sure your babies laughed today.

You read stories allowing your babies to travel to new wonderlands, learn about feelings and God.

You played doctor, firefighter, chiropractor, ghost hunter, instilling the power of imagination.

You played in the water and dirt filling their souls with sunshine, everytime they took a turn down the slide or ran through the sprinkler.

You diffused quarrels over toys and who gets to sit in mommy’s lap, imparting the importance of sharing and patience.

You came out of managing meltdowns with barely intact sanity while ensuring your child knew they are loved unconditionally.

You kissed owies. Changed diapers. Sang lullabies and rocked babies. Colored flowers, ghosts and rainbows. “Played puzzles”. Found the baby in the mirror. Wiped sticky fingers and mouths. Played endless rounds of peekaboo. Nursed the baby while playing trains with your toddler. Held bubble bath parties. All while sneaking sips of cold coffee.

What you do in a day consists of so much more than making sure your home is spotless. Your job as a momma is to grow and nourish these little souls. To model compassion, empathy, creativity and flexibility. It can feel like a fruitless endeavor when you are not able to see the results of your hard work immediately.

You may even ask yourself, “Is this worth it?” “Am I doing anything right?” “How do I know I’m not screwing them up?” “Am I pulling my weight around the house?” “Why can’t I balance this when it seems like everybody else can?”

You can’t see it now. But momma, you did a lot today. You poured love into your babies which will last a lifetime. They don’t care about a messy floor or unkempt bed. They won’t remember the dishes in the sink. Your babies will remember that momma never hesitated to stop and love them. They will remember how you took the time to join them where they are at, sticky fingers and all.