HMR Uniform, and Other Stuff

Well, Sarah asked us to post what we wear on any given day...you know, the kind of thing you'd be seen in if someone bumped into you at the park, McDonald's etc.

I must admit that this is it...my glorious Mom-iform. I do insist on being up, showered, dressed, styled & made-up (to some degree) before the kiddos wake up, meaning I'm up no later than 6. But it is worth it...because I sacrifice a little on the morning side of things, I know that I could, if needed, throw the kids into the car at the drop of a hat, the wail of the storm warning system, or the occurrence of a tragedy...it also makes it easy for me to get things done, because I'm not schlepping around the house in my sweats/yoga pants, a workout shirt and slippers. I currently only wear my wedding/engagement rings as Tiny Princess is very into grabbing all things she can get her chubby little fingers around...hair, noses, earrings, necklaces, shirts, chins, neck...you name it...she grabs it...

Prior to Tiny Princess' grabby stage, I would have on my tension-set diamond pendant, with matching earrings, which are all set in white gold. They were a gift from BB for my birthday the day we got engaged. I really got a fabulous birthday haul that year...I got the earrings and necklace, the diamond ring, PLUS, since BB had invited all my friends and my family, I got gifts from them...in fact, I think I got more jewelry that year than I have ever since. There are days that I will trade out the pendant for my first Mothers' Day gift from BB and Captain Chaos...it is a white gold heart, with a smaller rose gold heart overlapping, with a little tiny diamond chip at the point of the smaller heart. It is delicate, beautiful, and BB said that Captain Chaos picked it out especially for me! (who knew that an 11 month had such good taste in jewelry?)

Prior to children, I would have been in something similar, only much more trendy...you know, the hottest style of cute top, with the latest cut and color of jeans, with some awesome shoes, killer jewelry, and a haircut and color job that would have cost me more than I spend on groceries in a week...OY! What was I thinking?!?!?!?

I still like to look polished and put-together, but mostly because I remember seeing a mother, pregnant with her third child, at a maternity store when I was expecting Captain Chaos...she looked as though she hadn't showered in a week...her hair was in a greasy ponytail, she had skin that looked like a bad combination of sandpaper, leather that had been coated with a large helping of Crisco...she had big, dark circles under her eyes, a stained and torn men's XXL T-shirt, and the stereotypical "mom jeans" with the tapered ankles, the high waist, the baggy rear...as we were chatting, the thought ran through my mind that perhaps she had been doing some big, dirty job, or that the kids had been sick, or she had been sick, or they'd just gotten in from somewhere and she was jet-lagged...by as we continued our conversation about the "necessary" items to make it through a pregnancy without breaking the bank on clothing she kept commenting on how she was glad she was pregnant again because it was the only time she ever bought new clothes...in fact the outfit she was wearing had been her older brother's from 1986!!!!!!! It was all I could do to not shriek in fear and run away from her...but then she made the comment that "it didn't matter what she bought or when, she'd be lucky if she ever got out of the house without being covered in one child or another's bodily fluids or food, so why bother anyway?"

I resolved then and there that no matter what, I would do my best to look my best within my budget and health. I have heard too many women say "I only dress up on special occasions. Why waste time and energy to get dressed, fix my hair, and put on makeup for my kids? I'm saving it for when we go out for our anniversary, or something else big and special like that." I am of the mindset that my family IS the special occasion...don't my children deserve me being at my best? If I function better when I start out looking good, shouldn't I make the effort for my children? Doesn't my husband deserve to have a wife that tries to look somewhat like the girl he fell in love with all the time, and not just when it's time to go to the company Christmas party or out for Valentine's day? I don't spend a ton of money or time on myself, unless the situation calls for it...but I do make sure I am put together...clean clothes, a little makeup...an attempt to do something with the unruly mop of curls that has developed since Tiny Princess was born...BB, Captain Chaos, and Tiny Princess deserve that...

All families deserve a wife and mom who shows that she can still take care of them without losing herself...besides, I don't my kids to be afraid of me when I get ready for something TRULY special like an evening out without them!