My 12-step program to cherish spit-up

Confession #1: I don't actually have 12 steps. You'll have to forgive me for not coming up with a more fitting title.

I got a really great encouraging word tonight from an awesome friend of mine. One of the things that she said was how she admired my devotion as a mother, mentioning the Facebook statuses I post having to do with things my kids do, meals I cook, etc.

Confession #2: Many days i feel like the least devoted mother ever to walk the face of the earth. I let other things that don't matter steal me away from my kids needs. I burst out in anger at my 3-year-old, I get impatient when my 1-year-old won't just let go of my boob and go to sleep on his own for crying out loud.

My friend saw some spit-up on my shoulder and complimented me on it. I didn't even know it was there, so it caught me off guard but it was so cool. Although Josiah's been pretty much out of the constant-spit-up, burpie-permanently-attached-to-my-shoulder stage, I rarely make it to the end of the day without some kind of bodily fluid or food or beverage ending up on my clothes. Some of my shirts are even stained because of it, which is really frustrating.

But you know what? Who cares! I've heard it a hundred times from mothers with older children that they miss this stage, that it goes by so fast and that you won't remember how hard it was, only the good parts, yada yada. Well I'm convinced they must be right, so I really need to muster up the appreciation for this time in our lives. After all, life isn't going to get easier, the challenges will simply be different. Instead of spit-up, I'll have to deal with bullies and soccer practice and puberty and homework and unreciprocated crushes and which-college-should-I-go-to.

So, all of you moms out there with spit-up on your shoulder/knee/ear/rump/floor, we're in this together! All of you who are in some other stage of parenthood, congratulations for making it that far and I'm right behind you! And those of you who wish you had a little one to spit-up on you, may the Lord give you the desire of your heart!