What do you do to survive? Do you have to have that cup of coffee first thing in the morning? Do you get up and go for a run? Are you someone who sets multiple alarms and hits snooze 7 times?

Some mornings, I just survive… I got up 3 times to take a child to the bathroom and put them back in bed. I fed and changed the baby, with one eye open. I kicked the dog off the bed at least twice for incessant licking. My body aches from the constant tossing and turning, anticipating my next wakeup call. Why do I only have one sock on, when I know I went to bed wearing two?

I wake up more tired than when I go to bed!

“The days are long but the years are short.” – Gretchen Rubin

Most mornings I wake with a start and hit the ground running. The big kids will nag me until they have their breakfast, the baby needs to be changed and fed, the dog needs to be fed and let outside, I need to wash the bottles from the nightly feeds, lay something out for dinner, give the big kids a snack because apparently they are starving after just having breakfast, let the dog out again because she decided she was going to inhale her entire bowl of food in one go and she must drink her entire bowl of water at once, like we don’t have an endless supply that comes from the faucet. All while my eggo waffle is getting cold, where I have left it sitting on the kitchen counter.

Guess what girlfriends? This is my life! This is my dream! I would not change any of it! Not a thing! Not the sleepless nights, not the middle of the night shirt changes because the baby has spit up all over it! My life isn’t perfect, but it is MINE!

HOW DO YOU SURVIVE?!

You just do…

However you survive, you are not alone… whether you have help from older children, a partner, a neighbor or friend. Don’t let your pride get in the way. Take the help because you are only human. It is okay to need a break. It is okay to walk away. It is okay to ask for help. IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY!

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one.” –Jill Churchill