“I married him because I loved him, and I REALLY wanted a dope wedding. We had fun together. He was a good person. But that was kind of it.”
‘We started dating in high school. I was barely old enough to enjoy a glass of wine on our honeymoon. Babies.’
‘My husband took me to Louis Vuitton and told me I could choose a purse for my birthday. Y’all, I’m not a Louis kinda gal.’: Woman declines husband’s offer, ‘I could have that bag or 3 months of paid babysitting’
“I went in the store and felt…a wee bit outta place. I quickly turned my rugged Fossil purse around so the sales people wouldn’t see the brand and know I didn’t belong. I found a sales person who offered me champagne. CHAMPAGNE? Then, I asked the price.”
‘I am done trying to cram him in a box he was never made to fit into. I have to let it go before it kills my little boy’s spirit, or worse, our relationship.’: Mom quits working so hard to raise a ‘well-rounded child’
“I lost it and yelled in a tone that shocked me and scared him. I wondered what my little boy thought. I wondered if he still knew I love him. I am losing my opportunity to enjoy him because I am so wrapped up in fixing him – but the truth is, he isn’t broken, and he doesn’t need to be fixed.”
‘When I was in college, I loaned my mom’s family heirloom table to a stripper.’
“To be fair, I didn’t know it was a family heirloom. I have made these kinds of mistakes a lot in life.”
‘My husband complains I never tell him what I want for Mother’s Day. I want to be as clear as possible. Don’t say you DON’T know what we want.’
“3. A break from the kids. Sure, we are celebrating being a mom, but our ideal celebration doesn’t include wiping butts or picking up LEGOs. Give us this day off, please.”
‘Would you be willing to take him home?’ He was the tiniest baby boy I’d ever held. My husband’s wedding ring could go up above his knee. Two days earlier, we’d gotten a phone call.’
“My husband and I rode an elevator up to the NICU. I told him I might need to throw up in the fake plant I saw as the doors opened. We had three kids at the time– 3-year-old twin boys and a 7-month-old baby girl. HOW CRAZY CAN WE BE!? We are insane.”
‘Your voice got loud. You said I made a nasty mess. I’m sorry, mama. I didn’t mean to make you mad. You look so pretty today.’
“I love your soft hair and your makeup, mama. I’d like to put makeup on my face, but I don’t have any. You run around searching for your phone, and I have an idea! I saw a marker in the other room. I color all over my face. I bet I look beautiful! But, you didn’t think so.”
‘Really, Daddy? Are you really going to let them CUT MY ARM OFF?’ My son’s face fell. A silent tear trickled down his cheek.’
“He looked in horror at me and his daddy. My husband held my son as he became frantic. It hurts to know my child worried so much, and never brought it to me.”
‘Mid-meltdown, my son sticks his rubber snake down his pants and yells, ‘LOOK! MY PENIS HAS MUTATED!’ I scream-whisper in my most ‘I mean business’ mom voice, ‘Stop it right now!’
“Breathe. Everything is fine. We are making memories, dang it! I know, I know. Parents shouldn’t raise their voice. Add me to your prayer list, I need some work. Then, I noticed a silent tear trickle down my son’s cheek.”
‘My normally patient husband was suddenly withdrawn and short-tempered with me and the kids. He turned into a man I had never seen.’
“To see my husband suddenly abandon his role as the fun parent who sneaks in fart jokes while they think mom isn’t listening, was jarring. To hear him become the grumpy dad who yells for quiet and to stop running in the house, was shocking. I took it upon myself to fix him. To help him snap out of his funk.”
