I’m not going to lie – some days I need a thumbs up or a hearty pat on the back. I’m talking about the days that seem overwhelming, the days that make it feel like you’re drowning trying to juggle everything – you know, EVERY DAY. Even in the midst of those days, we have small (sometimes minuscule) victories to celebrate.
The problem is, these wins seem pretty silly to most people, and when someone asks me about my day, I just want to scream in excitement, “Owen ate a green bean!” But alas, most people would look at me all kinds of sideways, so I feel the need to brag with my fellow moms, because you all understand.
So in the spirit of full openness, I present to you a list of TRY-umphs from my past few weeks. Celebrate with me!
I got up, showered, and dressed before my kids woke up!
Granted, I had to get up at 5:30 to make it happen, but it was worth it (this time).
We all ate the same thing for dinner – no substitutions for anyone!
And the meal wasn’t even pizza or hot dogs and tater tots (although I still consider that a success too).
I washed clothes, folded them, and put them away ALL IN THE SAME DAY!
I hate to even include this because it has literally happened once in my whole life. A more realistic triumph would be that I did laundry at all – whether it got folded and put away, or if it is still sitting in the dryer like it has been for the past four days. Side note: whoever invented the fluff setting on a clothes dryer is my hero.
I went to Walmart in sweats, a hoodie, and no make-up, and I didn’t see anyone I know!
I may have ducked behind a store display, but still, it happened.
I had to send five items that start with the letter K to pre-school, and I found a leftover kazoo in the bottom of the Halloween candy bucket!
Laugh if you want, but this was a serious find, especially for a mom who throws everything away. Give it a try – see if you can easily locate five items that start with K.
We went to McDonald’s to eat breakfast and play on the indoor playground, and not one single person/family came in while we were there.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not against my kids playing with other kids, but usually when we show up at McDonald’s for breakfast, my morning has already been rough and I don’t need any witnesses (judgment) as I try to stay awake while I sip coffee and try to find my sanity.
My boys played for hours with no tears or yelling – from them or from me.
Once in a while, we go through a lovely day where all I hear is happy play and short disagreements that get resolved without mom refereeing.
I ate the hidden snack without being seen IN BROAD DAY LIGHT while the boys were under foot!
I mean really, there is no way my kids can or should eat as much Halloween, Christmas, Valentine, and Easter candy as they receive. It is my service to their health and dental hygiene to make sure they don’t eat it all. Besides, I need candy for fuel.
The in-car movie finished right as we pulled into our destination!
I’m probably most proud of this one. It is my delight and joy in this world to know both 1) exactly how long it takes to get from point A to point B and 2) the exact time of several of our favorite car ride movies.
My eyeliner and eyebrows look symmetrical and perfectly created/sculpted.
Ok, so this isn’t a mom win in particular, but it sure is a good feeling when it happens.
The youngest tore a hole in his shoes, rendering them unwearable, but I actually have a pair of shoes in the next size!
I tend to have a small supply of shoes ready for my boys, but I often miss the window of opportunity for them to wear the shoes. Let me tell you, not this time! So the shoes might have been seasonally inappropriate (cowboy boots in the summer or sandals in the dead of winter), but he’s toddler, so everyone will suspect that he dressed himself.
I stayed up past 11 for a fun reason!
Staying up late making muffins for tomorrow’s preschool, doing laundry, or doing something you have to do DOES NOT COUNT. I’m talking, I made plans, kept real clothes on, and did something fun, and I stayed awake the whole time! I yawned a lot, and I realized I’m not as young as I used to be, but I hung in there.
We went to a birthday party for another child.
This is not abnormal really, but what is amazing is that I didn’t lose the invitation and have to text the mom for the details the night before. I bought a present and wrapped it – and it didn’t happen on the way to the birthday party as usual. I was prepared, you guys.
I took my oldest to a kindergarten school visit and registered him for school.
We walked around the school, talked to some teachers, and learned more about what to expect, and I filled out a ton of paperwork (seriously, it is easier to take a newborn home from the hospital than register a kid for school, but I digress). And I didn’t cry or panic until I told my husband about it later. OK, maybe I started in the car as soon as we left.
Disclaimer: I should really write another post about all the screw-ups because I’m pretty sure I’ve squashed every one of these mini-celebration moments with equally terrible, frustrating mommy fails since I started writing this article.
BUT if we wait for big accomplishments to come along, some of us may be waiting awhile, or we might be too tired to enjoy them. Cut yourself some slack and savor those moments of TRY-umph! You made things happen today, yesterday, this week, etc.
I love this article. It is so hilarious and made me laugh out loud. I feel like everyday that my kids get all their homework assigned to them finished is a huge accomplishment.
Oh Maggie, with 4 kids, I would consider any day a success where everyone was still alive at the end of it. Soldier on, momma!
So many relateable moments that I really should celebrate more often! Thanks for the reminder! I once survived the letter Q at said preschool! 🙂 You would think as the kids get older, I should have this job down. But no…the try-umphs are just different. I successfully turned off the wifi to my teenagers device at 9pm without interrupting my social media time. My husband and I enjoyed a last minute work dinner date and the kids did the right and did dinner and went to bed on their own (sushi from the grocery store counts) as if I had raised responsible children. They even got their clothes laid out for the next day, which they picked out from the dryer!! 🙂
Rhi – I think if I survived Q in the letter bucket, I would put that on my resume! Thanks for reading 🙂
Have you been spying on my laundry room? And full disclosure- I have yet to master the birthday party scenario. You’d think with over 12 years of parenting under my belt I’d have learned my lesson… thankfully now the oldest’s friends all want gift cards 🙂
Yesss! Gift cards are my jam! Thanks for giving me something to look forward to!
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