31 Things I've Learned As A Mom

1.Patience is a virtue. It is also something that I struggle with and probably will for the rest of my life.

2.People are ignorant. They say dumb things and use words like "retard" and "spazz" without considering how offensive those words are to others. The best thing to do about those people is ignore them. WRONG. The best thing to do is educate them, in a polite way. I can't be offended by ignorance if I sit on my butt and do nothing about it.

3.No matter how insignificant the trip, always pack a barf bucket.

4.Worrying is wasted energy...so why haven’t I wasted away???

5.Be willing to fail. If you live your life always worried about failing, you will never try anything new.

6.You no longer have to lock up your favorite candy stash. Just put it on the couch under the pile of laundry and no one will touch it

7.Friendships are rare gifts. I have been blessed in my life with having some of the most amazing friends a girl could ask for. To network is to survive. Find others who have things in common with you who can lend some much needed support. Find those who are different from you to help you gain a different perspective on life.

8.Ask for help. It’s NOT a sign of weakness, rather a sign of intelligence. It is also a gift you give to those who get the opportunity to provide you with some kind of service.

9.Smile first – it will be reciprocated.

10.Take the time to stargaze or watch a sunset. Clear your mind. Let yourself feel how big this world is that we live in. It helps to put it all in perspective.

11."An object in motion tends to stay in motion" is a law written by a parent with toddlers.

12.Pray for help, pray for forgiveness, and pray for comfort....He’s listening.

13.Write a real letter on real paper and send it with a real stamp. You'll make someone smile.

14.I've learned to quickly tell the difference between a good disposable diaper and a bad one.

15.Be organized and prioritize. I am not the cleanest person in the world when it comes to housekeeping, but I learned quickly when I had my 3rd child that I had to learn to be organized. I learned to plan ahead. I lay out clothes and prepack lunches. I keep a meticulous calendar to keep track of appointments and play dates and everything else. If the choice is cleaning your home or playing with your child...let the dust accumulate.

16.The only way to sing along to the radio is loudly.

17.Follow your instincts. Life as a mom is full of unsolicited advice. Listen to what people have to say. Some will be helpful. Some will be offensive. Some will be down right preposterous. Then go home, and follow your instincts.

18.Babies don't read books. They don't understand that they are supposed to sit at a certain age according to page 27, column 2. They will do what they will do, at their own pace.

19.An Emmy is never more deserved than by a 4 year old just asked to clean up their toys.

20.People are not disabilities. CP is not who Mikaily is, it's just simply part of her life. She is not a disability. She is a little girl.

21.Teamwork is key.

22.Standardized tests are crap. Don't let them change your outlook. I can remember when Mikaily was young having to go into the meetings after they had done an evaluation on her. I would be so happy she was doing so well only to go in and have my hopes destroyed by test scores. The numbers they would give me were more than I could handle. Does the fact that Mikaily can't catch a ball change who she is? She is still a determined little girl who loves spending time with her siblings. She still loves to paint. She is still so shy she will hardly talk to people she has known for a year. They would slap a label on her one year only to remove that label the next. Does that change how much I love her or how I feel about her? It does not. Assessments don't determine who your child is.

23.Boa feathers look good on me.

24.It's called "practicing" medicine for a reason. If you don't like how a doctor handles something, find another.

25.Snot is never ending.

26.All of my children are gifts from God. They will grow and be whatever He intends for them to be. I am meant to enjoy having them in my life and help them to grow and become the amazing people they will be, regardless of any disabilities or shortcomings.

27.Play places smell like urine. You will learn this the first time you have to crawl in after your screaming child who is stuck up 7 platforms, thru 2 twisty tunnels, up a rope wall, half way down the blue slide.

28.There is no such thing as buying too much cereal.

29.Let go of control.

30.There are no instant replays. You will say the wrong thing. You will do the wrong thing. This is true of many aspects of life, but as a parent you are responsible for setting the example for the child who is watching your every move. It isn't important that you made a mistake...only how you recover from it.

31.Your baby (or child) will insult you, eventually. Whether it be when you are singing him a gentle lullaby and he puts his hand up to your mouth and says "Stop that!!" or you spend extra time cutting her sandwich into an adorable princess hat shape and she screams "That isn't what a sandwich looks like!!" It happens. Don't let it get to you.