Motherhood is often messy, humbling and exhausting. But being a Mom can also feel hysterically funny and heart-burstingly happy on many days! It's a journey that grows you in more ways than you ever could have imagined -- one that expands both your heart and your perspective beyond what it would be otherwise.
Moms need solidarity and encouragement along the way nearly as much as we need a limitless supply of coffee and chocolate. So we decided to take to the streets and ask real Moms about what their dream day would look like, knowing this would lend much insight into the universal experiences found in motherhood. The more we understand we're not alone, the more likely we are to remember we're in this together for the long haul!
The similarities in the responses of dozens of women were no surprise. Each Mom may have their own take on what she wants most for Mother's Day, but the common threads that bind us all together are clear to see. Get ready to smile, laugh and likely recognize yourself in the words of other moms like you! We get you, girl ;)
"A coffee IV." - beautythroughimperfection.com
"A self-changing diaper. Or a self-wiping tush." - momsandcrafters.com
"For my teen to go a whole day without rolling his eyes at me. Or enough wine so I don't notice." - lessthanperfectparents.com
"All I want for Mother's Day is to wake up after eight hours of uninterrupted sleep to a house with clean floors, folded laundry and an empty diaper genie! Clean toilets and a vanilla latte wouldn't be terrible either." - thechastainfamilyblog.blogspot.com
"A cleaning lady, and two hours out of the house alone while she's cleaning." - teressajane.com
"You know, what I would most like for mother's day is a nap." - justanotherrabidreader.info
"Yessss! I want taller countertops that my TINY BABY GIRL can't hoist herself up on (without any assistance) to lick the toothpaste tubes... again!! Like 100 times a day. PLEASE. That is all I want in my life this particular week." - theschoolofhardknox.com
"No one touching me for one hour. The ability to drink a cup of coffee while it is still HOT." - kirstenoliphant.com
"Just an hour to enjoy a hot bath without the kids contstantly banging on the door or asking through the space under the door "whatcha doing?" - cindyparrett.com
"Wine! Lots and lots of wine!" - myboredtoddler.com
"I'd love to sleep in past 7 a.m.. I'd love to snuggle my baby without getting my face slapped, scratched and snatched in one fell swoop. I'd like my baby to stop acting like Mommy's earrings are gymnast hoops. I'd like to give my husband my Mommy ears so I can not wake up every time our baby farts in another room." - stylesewme.com
"I always love to sleep in and to have some quiet time to read and write!"
- settingmyintention.com
"A magic wand to clean any and all messes in an instant, make the kids behave, let me sleep more, do all the laundry, do all repairs, clean the house and fetch me some tea."
- kmstayathomelife.blogspot.com
"For Mother's Day, I simply want tantrum-free toddlers who don't change their mind every five seconds and destroy everything in their paths. If I could also have two dogs who don't shed another dog's worth of fur on a daily basis, that'd be great. Finally, a bigger house. Wait, Mother's Day = Wish List, right?" - twintalkblog.net
"I would love to sleep in with breakfast waiting for me when I wake up followed by a hot, uninterrupted shower." - burlapandbabies.com
"No fighting amongst my littles!" - Eatprayreadlove.com
"All I want for Mother's Day is a quiet afternoon bath and a nap. I would also accept anyone cooks dinner except for me." - ashleytriesit.com
"I can tell you what I don't want. I don't want cold cuts. Please don't go to the supermarket and buy cold cuts to make me lunch as my mother's day gift. I also don't want you to plan a picnic in the park, again with cold cuts, and no toys for the kids to play with because you wouldn't tell me where we were going and five years into this parenting thing you don't know that you must bring entertainment for your 3, 4 and 5-year-old." - realitymomblog.com
"A break from my motherly duties! For someone else to clean the house, make the meals and get everyone dressed and ready for the day! Oh, and maybe to sleep in..." - tastefultips.com
"I just want someone else to do the dishes for one day. Being a food blogger, I get SO sick of doing dishes every. single. stinkin. day." - beneficial-bento.com
"I want new yarn and a few hours all to myself to crochet! Or maybe nap... naps are good!"
- blackstonedesigns.blogspot.com
"I just want to go to the bathroom without being nagged at through the door."
- thebrightsideofreality.com
"All I want for Mother's Day is to do whatever I want. Until I miss my family and then I will come home, whenever I want. Please do not take me to brunch with the family. Please, just don't. Eating out with toddlers is not a gift." - abadabing.com
"It's pretty ironic, but all I want for Mother's Day is to not be a mom for the day! It would be great to just sleep in, read a book, maybe watch a chick-flick and then take a nap. All of this in a house that is completely silent, without any yelling, whining or non-stop chatter of a toddler and preschoolers. A girl can dream, right?" - meplus3today.com
"I would like not to hear "I gotta poo poo!" I don't need an announcement :) I would also like to go to the bathroom without an audience." - diamondintheroughms.com
"I'd love to sleep in until 10 am again. Just once!" - amomintraining.com
"A real vacation away from all you kids and the husband! Three days on a beach, sleeping in, drinking, with no responsibilities. Since that is not happening, can I just get a maid who will actual clean the toilet with my potty-training son's special mess and a magnum bottle of champagne to toast to my insanity?" - missjena.com
"Ah yes, foot rubs throughout the day and all meals and snacks prepared for everyone."
- snackybaby.com
"I would love a day out. Out of work, out of cleaning, out of cooking, out of stress. That would be my perfect mother's day." - irunerrandsuk.blogspot.com
"I want pajamas. I'm a SAHM, so I'm in comfy clothes all day. I'd like some pretty pajamas to make me feel special instead of crashing every night in my dirty yoga pants that haven't seen a yoga mat in months!" - eatdrinkandsavemoney.com
"I want a date night out! Remember before kids when you would go to a restaurant AFTER 6 p.m.?! One with no kids... Where I could enjoy a two to three-hour meal and not feel rushed while trying to scarf down cold food quickly because someone has to potty or is tired or it's almost bed time?!" - fuchsiafreezer.ca
"I want my husband to say in April that he knows it's Mother's Day soon, and that I don't have to remind him or drop hints and that flowers from the grocery store are not a gift."
- thisnotthatmama.com
"I want to be left alone! Just want to stay in bed all day binge watching my favorite movies and TV shows with no interruptions." - 4theloveofbubbles.com
"What sounds like the most dreamy Mother's Day gift is a luxury I haven't been afforded in much too long: an afternoon reading my favorite book, uninterrupted." - happyhealthymama.com
"I want to stay in bed all day. I want to have the door closed to the bedroom and never hear a thing of what is happening. I don't want to know if my son broke a glass or my daughter is hungry or if my husband needs help with dinner." - travelwithbender.com
"A shower." - naturallynicolexo.com
"Someone to clean my house... like spring clean... with out my assistance or direction. That would basically be the equivalent of jewelry for me right now!" - ThisSouthernGirlsBlog.com
"A day to go out boating and fishing, relaxing and soaking in the sun like the old days... before a toddler with zero attention span." - thriftyartsygirl.blogspot.com
"I'd like to start with a few hours at the mall... ALONE so that I'm not pulling kids out from under clothing racks or trying to keep them from crawling under the dressing room door. Then I'd like a nice lunch where I can eat without having to keep the kids entertained with toys and crayons, topped off by a movie of my choice... NON-ANIMATED. Of course I love my girls beyond words, but I would still like a little time on my own." - FunMoneyFinds.com
"One whole day of having the bathroom to myself when I need to go. And all of my makeup that was found and used to color the walls put back together in one piece!" - beautybyheididee.com
"I want a day without hearing any crying or whining... ah, what a dream!" - thekiwiintheclouds.com
"A day to myself to sleep in, read for fun, sit in the sun and focus on me!" - bmoorehealthy.com
"One completed home-improvement project." - nookandcrane.com
"A day off where I get to sit and read a book." - everydaytruth.net
"the sound of silence, naptime and the chance to pee alone." - diydesignmom.com
"A maid service!" - katemovingforward.com
"A sick day. No illness necessary. Can redeem at a time of her choosing, no questions asked." - groundedandsurrounded.com
"I would like my husband to clean the entire house and cook me dinner, while I sit on the couch and do nothing (in other words... I want him to trade places with me for a day ;)). Of course, a shopping spree would be OK too." - youngearthymama.wordpress.com
"A nice long nap and a break from wiping butts for the day!" - livinginhisway.blogspot.ca
"I get the day alone!! My husband takes our four kids to his parents' church and spends the day with her (what she wants most) and I stay home alone (what I want most!)"
- finishinghisrace.blogspot.com
"I'd love to win the lottery so I can hire someone to finish all the unfinished projects we have around the house and be done with them for good! No more piles of wood laying around gathering dust (to finish my essential oil cabinet)! No more mirrors sitting by the wall waiting to be hung (to finish my daughter's room). Garden started, new siding/roof, bookcases built, etc. And I'd love a day where both my kids are having good days on the same day, it happens so rarely." - thebrowntribe.net
"a day of NO COMPLAINING OR WHINING!" - whatmommydoes.com
"I want a day to eat absolutely anything I want and the calories don't count! Oh, wait, do these have to be non-magical? In that case, that also rules out my second choice, which is a day without my children fighting. I'm not asking for world peace. Just 24 HOURS without one fight over a Lego. But a mom must be realistic. I would like breakfast in bed, smeared with lots and lots of butter and 14 globs of jelly, all made with chattering and loud "shhh"s while I pretend to be asleep. Then I want hand-made crafts with lots and lots of globs of glue and glitter. And I want lots and lots of sticky kisses. Because someday, I'll miss all the globs and smears and stickies. So today I'll cherish it -- as long as someone else cleans up the kitchen."
- saraborgstede.com
"A day where we go to church and all five children sit quietly in the pew! Then we come home and they tell me to rest and read on the couch and they each give me a sweet homemade thoughtful gift and some chocolate and then they quietly go off to play while I relax on the couch and my husband cleans up and makes dinner!! Oh, that sounds heavenly!!"
- thethingsilovemost.com
"Wake up in the morning without anyone jumping on my head! Eat breakfast without picking up cereals from the floor. Eat ice cream without having to share. Listen to some classical music instead of baby songs!" - parentaljourney.com
"One day of them doing for me what I always do for them. It makes me feel like they get the gift of appreciating the things I do, and I get the day to feel special enough to do it for."
- therockinhousewife.com
"I would love to have a day with no responsibilities, one where I can take off and go and do whatever my little heart desires without worrying about snack times and diaper checks. I'd drink expensive coffee, spend several hours thrifting, maybe sit and watch the waves at the beach while catching up on blogging. Divine!" - welcometothezoo.ca
"I want to be whisked away to a private tropical location where I will live for a week (or three) in luxurious accommodations-complete with a fully stocked library and someone to massage my feet while I sit on the beach! I'll settle for someone to clean the house and provide dinner for a couple of days though." - thatonemom.com
"I would love one full night of sleep. That's it. Just uninterrupted, 12 full hours of sleep. Because I haven't had one since becoming a Mom." - thewisewife.org
"I'd like the day split three ways. The first part would be just me... by myself for several hours (SILENCE!!! AHHH!!) ... outside somewhere where I could write, get lost in a book and eat the biggest, most decadent piece of gluten-and-dairy-filled chocolate deliciousness. Part two would be spending time with my husband and kids doing something simple like going hiking, going to the beach, hanging out... but the key is there would be NO whining, complaining or sibling disagreements!! And part three would be to finish the day up with an awesome date night that the hubby planned, complete with a romantic dinner and great conversation."
- vibranthomeschooling.com
"A morning that starts with homemade cards; an afternoon by myself curled up reading a great book; an evening meal of sugary cereal eaten around the table with my hubby and kids." - snailpacetransformations.com
"I'd like to have a day where I get to sleep past 7:00 (in a bed that my 5-year-old hasn't taken over in the middle of the night), and then the big stuff: for everyone to pick up their own items when they are finished with them and put them where they belong."
- theresjustonemommy.com
"For mother's day this year, I'd love to spend the day with my grandmother, mother and sister. We're separated by far too many miles. Second choice would be a quiet day to myself, finished off by a nice (no sibling trouble or silliness) family dinner out or date with my husband." - paradisepraises.com
"I adore their loving gifts and wouldn't trade them for the world, but as a homeschooling mom, what I really want for Mother's Day is TIME. Time to take a bath without having to be a naked referee. Time to go out with my girlfriend for tea, pastry, and to dish. Time to curl up and read the entire book that's been sitting on the nightstand for two months."
- gypsyroadschool.blogspot.com
"I would love to go to be able to pee in peace! Privacy in the bathroom with no interruptions would be amazing." - workingathomeschool.com
"Maid Service!!! But of course a cruise, or massage would be great too Ok, who am I kidding, I'd settle for more than two hours in a row of sleep at night right now." - atozformomslikeme.blogspot.com
"Time with friends without children in tow. Uninterrupted adult conversation be sooo nice!"
- FunWithAMessage.com
"My ideal Mother's Day would allow me to enjoy the day without feeling guilty about my family spending too much money on me and my need to spend time alone. I always end up missing my family in the end and wishing I had just spent it with them instead."
- Firstcomesfamily.com
"All I want is to sleep in, have my home cleaned top to bottom by someone else, a long quiet bubble bath and be served a delicious meal someone else made. Is that really asking too much? For my family, even sleeping past 6:30 a.m. would be asking too much from a toddler and a baby. I'll be satisfied with the usually loud playing and sloppy hugs and kisses from my sweet daughters." - practicalmommy.com
"Give me a day to go shopping or sit at the park or coffee shop and read while someone else deep cleans my house and watches the kiddos." - farmgirlinitiative.com
"A clean house, Daddy to take the kids for the day (somewhere other than home), a fru fru coffee with some chocolate and a chick flick I can watch by myself in the quiet house all by myself!! Lol." - thetypicalmom.com
"A massage, a facial, a magical laundry and cleaning fairy and not having wipe anyone's nose or bum!" - familyfoodandtravel.com
"A meal cooked for me where I'm not expected to clean the dishes later. Not a single dish, none, zero, zip. They clean them all!" - adventuresinmommydom.org
"Sometime to myself and then a meal cooked by hubby and the kids and all the laundry sorted for me!" - multicraftingmummy.com
"Sleep. Quiet. And then a trip somewhere on which magically no one argues or complains." - bambinitravel.com
Though all Mom's need an occasional break to refresh and refuel, undoubtedly not one of us would trade the gift of motherhood away for anything. It's been said that nothing worth doing ever comes easily, and I'd imagine we'd all agree motherhood tops that list!
Wishing all you Moms a happy Mother's Day this year -- whether your special day includes anything on your wish list or not, I hope you all are able to enjoy the gift that keeps on giving -- your kids! ;)
Find this piece, originally published at shelivesfree.com right here. For more motherhood fun, check out You Know You're a Mom When.... and Happy Mother's Day, From One Mom to Another! Also - you are invited to a live online Facebook event celebrating Moms everywhere, just in time for Mother's Day! Click here to RSVP and be entered to win our giveaway :)
Would love to hear what resonates with you! We Moms need to stick together - why not send this over to a friend in need of a laugh and a reminder that she's normal?