Kristy Pepping

Ode of Thanks for Moms On Mother's Day

Mother's Day is just around the corner and I started to think about all the mom-friends I have in my life and how appreciative I am for the advice I have received over the years. Here is a list of my top 10 best "words of wisdom" from fellow moms:

1. Thanks for teaching me how to use all those baby items: One of my friends came over after my first child was born and took the time to show me how all this baby gear we had received from the shower actually worked. I never took the time to read how to fold up our stroller or how to change the diaper genie. I am thankful for the help!

2. Thanks for telling me to accomplish one thing a day. I was used to traveling once a month for my job and juggling multiple projects at once, but managing one newborn was a struggle in the beginning. I called my friend one night crying and telling her I had not gotten anything done in the day that I had wanted to do. She told me to just accomplish one task a day and that it would get easier.

3. Thanks for offering to help when our child was in the hospital. When our third child was hospitalized for RSV, my mom friends offered help and most importantly support.

4. Thanks for going off the registry list. One of my friends sent me some small items that she wished she had registered for that she knew were not on my list. Items likes cloth diapers to use as burp clothes since they are more absorbent and a rubber mat to bring to restaurant trips with messy toddlers.

5. Thanks for the adult date-nights. It's great to get together with kids and we do do this a lot, but we try to set up nights where we can leave the kids at home. I appreciate the adult conversations, not being rushed through a dinner and no interruptions.

6. Thanks for making me feel like I am not alone. I think a lot of times as parents you think you are doing it wrong when everyone is doing it right. I remember one conversation with one of my friends about playing with my child and feeling guilty because there were times between work and feeling sleep-deprived that I just didn't have the energy and it was easier to have her watch a movie. I realized that we have more in common with each other than we think.

7. Thanks for the play place suggestions. When you have little kids and you live in an area where winter last several months, you begin to run out of ideas to entertain your children. I appreciate the new and interesting ideas and places to take our children.

8. Thanks for making my life easier. One of the most recent conversations with one of my friends revolved around dinners. Now that our children are getting older, it's getting harder to fit dinner into busy after school schedules. One of my friends gave me some slow-cooker recipes and another friend said in summer they grill food on the weekends and use the food in salads, pastas and other dishes throughout the week in order to save time.

9. Thanks for making me laugh. Many times with kids, it's just easier to go with the flow then try and control the situation. After we had our third child I was feeling overwhelmed with being outnumbered. One of my friends told me that all three of their children ran separate directions once in Target and he and his wife had to decide which two to chase down. It was nice to know that others share your same struggles.

10. Thanks for loaning me baby products and clothes. After our second child was born so close to our first, one of my friends loaned me some clothes and other items. It was nice to not have to go out and buy more items and I appreciated the help.

Are there moms in your life that you are thankful for? Are there any stories or situations that you would like to share? Please comment below and let us know your thoughts.