I recently within the last week received a compliment. It was a compliment that really stuck with me, that I probably will never forget. I was out shopping with my daughter buying , you know the normal groceries that most households need, and this older lady came up to me. She said, "Wow your daughter is so beautiful. You can tell by just looking at you, that she is going to turn into an amazing woman. She is so well put together, you are so well put together, and you were here by yourself with her- can seem so impossible sometimes.” I kind of just laughed and said thank you because I didn’t really know what she meant with some of her choice words. I’m here by myself? I am well put together? What am I doing that is impossible? I sat with her words for a little bit before I really felt like I had a little bit of a better understanding. That although she hasn't seen my many sleepless nights, how many times I’ve had to change my shirt due to spit up, or the planning and plotting it takes to go grocery shopping to avoid having to stop for feeding time. That her as a mother herself, probably knew that it takes a lot of work for all of those things to happen in one moment. It takes a lot of work to have an outfit on that doesn’t have some sign of my babies bodily fluids, her not to have a bib drenched in spit up or her boogers swiped up the side of her face, and to be that one mom who can not get their baby to stop crying ( been there done that- too many times lol). That I then realized it is possible to have all of those things in one moment and I felt really good about it. It definitely gave me a little pep in my step. I look forward to more moments where I can show my daughter that no matter how hectic life can be - and it will be - that she will able to be pull it all together. Teaching my daughter independence and strength have always been important but this just highlights what I have and will always be teaching her.

This is my mama hood.