Sometimes parenting is tough. When your toddler decides to throw a fit as you are crossing the road by his daycare and he sits down in the middle of the road in a heap of toddler fury. When you try to coax him into standing up and moving as drivers stare at you and other parents load their non-tantrum throwing kids into nearby cars. When you are carrying the baby in one arm and have to pick up that screaming toddler--whose body instantly becomes like jello--and carry him out of the street. When you finally make it to the car and you and your toddler are both in tears.
When you are cleaning up your toddler's accidently spilled milk for the third time that day and he proceeds to turn your glass of water upside and pour it all over the table, himself, and both dogs. When he starts screaming because his pants are wet and he is suck in his booster seat and then the baby starts screaming.
When the baby is inconsolable and your toddler just wants you to play. When you bouncing that screaming baby and singing to him through tears of exhaustion and guilt for not being able to play with your toddler despite his sweet insistence that "Mommy play."
It all comes back to loving those tiny humans with your whole heart and desperately wanting to protect them from pain and unhappiness--desperately wanting to be the perfect parent for them. Perfect parenting is a fairy tale, a figment of the imagination, and always beyond our grasp, but in those moments when the baby looks at you, coos, and smiles his sweet toothless grin or your toddler takes you hand and asks you to dance you reminded that you are their perfectly imperfect parent and they love you.
