Dearest girls.

My dearest girls,
I am going to get frustrated sometimes. I will never be the perfect mother.  Sometimes I will be less than mediocre.  I will huff and puff after the forth time of going up the stairs to cover you up or pick up your paci from the floor.  I will take a deep breath in the middle of a tantrum, yours, and walk away for a minute.  I will snap at you in frustration and grumble at your disobedience.  I will sigh and occassionally roll my eyes when you throw a tantrum because you don't want to get dressed or have your diaper changed.  I will accidentally grab your arm too tight as you pull away while I am trying to talk reason to you.  I will sometimes cry on the way home because you don't want to tell me about your day.  I will feel like I need a mommy time out and go upstairs for a bathroom break that lasts more than 10 minutes as soon as we get home and your daddy takes over.

However, I will love on you and tuck you in after I've had my moment on the way up the stairs.  I will pick up your paci and laugh while giving it back to you.  I will take a breath in the middle of a tantrum and walk away for a minute.  I will kneel down to eye level and tell you in a calm voice why taking something from your sister is not okay even if you think "she was finished with it".  I will give you options after you decide you don't want to wear the original outfit you picked out.  I will tickle you and ask you where your body parts are while I try to get your squirmy butt dressed.  I will loosen my grip, get down to eye level and apologize for squeezing too hard, then take your hand and suggest we try it again.  I will ask you several times on the way home how your day was knowing that you might have been in the middle of a thought the other times I asked.  I will sometimes take a mommy time out because I want to come back down ready and refreshed and ready to play with you.

I love you girls so very much.  I am going to make mistakes but I promise I will try to get my head back on straight quickly and remedy those mistakes.  You are both blessings to me and my life and I cannot imagine my life with out you.  Parenting is a constant learning curve.  Marriage and being a mommy is the only thing that has ever gotten hard that I have not quit on.  You two have made me better. I thank you for that.

Forever and Always,

Mommy