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Theta Mom®

Redefining Motherhood

Seven

Sitting on the couch about to watch some television with my son after a long day, I looked over at my Kindergartener who sat next to me and asked him, “What was the best part of your day today sweetie?”

He thought for a moment and didn’t say anything.

And then there was a little more silence.

He turned his head in the other direction and mumbled under his own breath, “I can’t believe I’m even saying this…”

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was about to hear, but I was intrigued by his reaction. I turned toward him anxiously waiting to hear what he was going to share with me; I thought for sure it was going to be about some little girl in his class or his favorite Valentine’s Day card he received – or even how much fun he had during recess.

I glanced at him, grabbed his hand and asked one more time, “So…tell me! What was the best part of your day today?”

He dipped closer toward me and carefully whispered in my ear, “Being here right now. With you, Mommy.”

 

 

My heart.

 

 

Melted.

 

 

Completely.

 

 

Seven words spoken, seven words I want etched in my brain forever.

 

I wrapped my arms around that fleeting moment and then embraced my son. Even if only for an instant – I have seven gorgeous words engrained in my mind for a lifetime.

Rockstar Moms

You know the kind. We come into contact with these moms every single day and it’s the very moms we want to raise our glasses to. Some of these moms are complete strangers we pass in the grocery aisle or wait on line with at Target; we stand beside these moms at school drop-off, on the ball field and throughout our neighborhoods.

Rockstar Moms are everywhere.

My official definition of a Rockstar Mom:  “Any mom who is doing the best job she can, making tons of sacrifices along the way amidst the curve balls that life continues to throw her way.”

The working mom who is juggling multiple jobs to ensure there is food on the table each night.

The single mom who is serving as “both” parents to her children.

The divorced mom who is making the best of the cards she’s been dealt.

The mom who keeps the ship at home afloat as her husband fights for this country overseas.

The special needs mom who continues to be an advocate for her children.

The mom who wants to find nothing more than a quality and affordable education for her children.

The mom who prays for her sick child every night, hoping that there will be a cure so she’ll have the opportunity to watch her baby grow.

The stay-at-home mom who continues to make sacrifices.

The allergy mom who will never give up hope.

The working mom who is seeking to find balance in her life.

The mom who went back to school to earn a degree to fulfill a lifelong dream.

The mom who seeks to find peace.

The mom who empathizes with another mom and lends her hand of support.

The mom who continues to dream big for herself and her children.

The mom who blogs and finds comfort in the online community of women who “get her.”

And to the mom who recently sent her child in with a Valentine’s Day card and piece of candy for my son at school who took a moment to write on his card, “Peanut Free” with a little smiley face – THANK YOU. You are a total Rockstar Mom.

Motherhood is not easy and I want to take a moment to remind you that YOU are doing an amazing job. We are in this thing together, deep in the trenches of motherhood.

So the next time you see another mom while standing in line at the grocery store or waiting in the pediatrician’s office, be sure to give her a smile of encouragement. That nod of acceptance may be just what she needs, a small reminder that she’s a Rockstar Mom – simply doing the best damn job that she can.

Today, I Celebrate

The candles that sit on top of my birthday cake are single snapshots of years gone by. To me, it’s a beautiful metaphor – every candle that glows is like a photograph in a frame triggering a memory.

Each candle represents a time in my life, from the very first candle to the thirty-something candle.

Candle by candle, year by year, I remember.

Birthdays should be a time of pure joy no matter how many candles glow on top of that cake because each candle is a symbol of the years that have been lived and that in itself is a blessing. I am who I am today because of the experiences that helped shape me and every year as I add another candle to this party, I have more love to give, more tears to cry, more laughter to share and more life to live…

Today, I am alive.

I am rejoicing because the man upstairs gave me this beautiful gift called life and today is my reminder of that amazing gift. If I don’t get a chance to respond to your comment today, it’s because I am celebrating every single year that I have walked this Earth.

Because today is the day of my birth – and I can’t wait to watch those thirty-something candles glow.

My Top 3 in 2012

I made a vow to myself that this was the year I was going to make more time for ME. This would be the year I would lessen my workload and carve out some quality time for myself. As you know, we moms are everything to everyone else so I thought it was about time I made even an EXTRA effort to focus on what makes me happy – putting myself back on the calendar in 2012.

So here are the three things that topped my resolution list this year and I am happy to report that I’ve been sticking to them.

1. Subscribe & read a magazine again – not online, like the real thing. Reading a magazine in my hands actually forces me to relax as I flip through the pages; being away from the computer actually helps me to lessen the noise. It even inspires me to have a cup of coffee or glass of wine (depending on what time it is). For me, it’s like what Pinterest is for some of you addicts –  it’s just something I take tons of enjoyment in.

Real Simple is the magazine that tops my list this year and this is the cover from the Summer 2008 issue. Doesn’t it make you want to chill on the couch with a great cup of coffee and just RELAX? {photo credit: Real Simple}

2. Get back into a workout routine. I know this sounds a little crazy, but I am seeking tons of enjoyment by waking up before the kids get up to workout – because I am doing something for ME. I grab my ipod and I listen to tons of awesome music that gets me energized. During the workout, it’s the perfect time to purge any anxiety or nerves from the previous day and start fresh and I’m always pumped on the mornings I have been working out. I’ve added this “workout” time into my routine three days a week and I’ve never felt more excited about hitting the treadmill.

3.  Plan a Girl’s Night at least once per month. This is a biggie for me. I’m actually making sure that I plan a night out with some girlfriends at least once a month. It’s ALWAYS on a weeknight so that I am not taking up family time on the weekend, and it’s the perfect chance for me to reconnect with some good friends and dish on motherhood and all things girlie for a little while. We always end up with a bunch of laughs so a couple of hours out with some good friends is always good for the soul. And for this Theta Mom, these outings keep me sane knowing I can share a cocktail and some smiles with those I adore. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So if you had to name three things RIGHT NOW that you should be doing for YOU, what would make your Top 3 in 2012?

Exciting News about momAgenda COMM

Many of you know that I have been an avid spokesperson for the brand momAgenda, serving as the Brand Ambassador since early 2011. Part of my job at momAgenda is to lead and manage an amazing, talented team of women called the Council of Media Moms. And this time, Nina and I are at it again – we are looking to expand the Team!

That’s right – momAgenda® and I are looking for YOU!

We are once again seeking established, influential and engaging bloggers to become part of an amazing team to continue building brand awareness for momAgenda. We are looking to collaborate with professional and passionate women to lead this mission in marketing momAgenda through the blog and social media platforms, including the Facebook page which currently has an audience almost 20,000 fans!

Council of Media Moms at momAgenda (better known as COMM) is an online initiative that was established to garner important insight into the needs and wants of the momAgenda community, fostering a true brand/blogger relationship. The connections formed are paramount; momAgenda strives to cultivate a supportive community of bloggers that embraces this mission and is dedicated to high standards of integrity and excellence in the digital world.

So, do you want to be a member of the COMM Team at momAgenda? Of course you do, because it’s an absolute wonderful opportunity!

We are currently accepting applications now through Feb. 27th. For further information and full details about this program and the benefits of being a member of COMM, be sure to check out the momAgenda website. If you have any questions about COMM, please feel free to email me anytime: HeatherR {at} momagenda {dot} com.

***Please help us spread the word about COMM on Twitter: Copy/paste the following and tweet as often as you like!

The search is on to expand The Council of Media Moms @momagenda Details & Application: http://bit.ly/geGZHY #momAgendaCOMM

We really look forward to collaborating with you!