I start my day with snuggles in bed and an extremely happy baby smiling at me. I breastfeed on demand, and will continue to, as long as my daughter needs me to. I rock and nurse my daughter to sleep. I co-slept with my daughter for 7 months. I’m lucky if I get to shower three times each week. Blowing my hair out has become a thing of the past. My daughter learns through exploration, everyday. 
If I get three consecutive hours of sleep, it was a “good” night. Brushing my teeth always happens after breakfast. I believe in a holistic medical approach and homeopathic remedies. I make my own laundry detergent. Most days, I run on coffee and Jesus. I am painstakingly aware that I need to make time for myself. My favorite part of the day, is watching my seven-month-old crawl to her daddy and investigate everything in her surroundings. My husband is my best friend and partner. My “village” of mommies is incredibly supportive and reminds me of what this “Mom Life” is really all about. More often than not, my home will look like a tornado threw up.
In my home, laughter can cure just about everything. As much as I laugh, I still have tearful moments…almost always, happy tears. Chewing food is a luxury…inhaling it is necessary for one’s survival. Unsolicited mommy advice is not welcome here. I planned for natural birth. 36 hours later, I had an emergency cesarean, which caused an internal infection, which lasted until my daughter was six weeks old. I’m proud of that scar. If you see me “out-and-about”, I’ll probably look like a hot mess, but my kiddo will be dressed to the 9s.
If you stare at me while I breastfeed in public, I will wink at you. When I have “time” to myself, I clean. My husband and I raise our child. I don’t have daily or weekly help from anyone while I run errands, pay bills, clean the house, make dinner, shop for groceries, etc. I have missed phone calls, family events, and outings with friends. I have carefully chosen new friends for this transitional part of life. Losing old friends sucked, but I guess they weren’t the “life-long” type anyway. I eat cookies at least once a day. I wear my baby everywhere. I’m not perfect and I don’t pretend to be. I would do it all again, EXACTLY the same way. #MomSoHard #KeepitRealMommy #Ikeepit100 #sorryNOTsorry
3 comments
I love that you know who you are.
Great article Danielle! As a therapist and fellow Mom who likes to support other Moms by keeping it real, I appreciate your full-on embrace of doing whatever feels best for you and your family and willingness to share! It is my continuous hope that others will feel confident and safe to do the same, especially without fear of being judged by other Moms. Because if we’re truly honest, we are all in the same boat and club of trying to navigate the unknowns that the journey of motherhood and parenting with our partners brings- the best that we can, one.day.at.a.time.
Dearest Danielle,
I know we haven’t seen each other since college, but through social media I’ve watched you grow and become an amazing woman, then wife, and now a mommy. I love that you are confident in who you are, you always have been. I hoop that we can be in the mommy tribe with you. While my daughter is older, I’m here for you to vent ask questions or just to say hey! Thanks for being your amazing you! You’re a great mommy!
<3 Samantha