She likes to sleep.

Her favorite position is side-sleeper, slight fetal position with one hand under and hugging the pillow.

How she actually sleeps?

On a small sliver of a bed, a quarter of a pillow, smothered by the peanut-sized noggin and heat-producing body of her very securely attached three-year-old.

She likes to drink coffee.

Her favorite coffee is a piping hot French Vanilla Cappuccino with vanilla-flavored soy milk that she sips slowly while she listens to the soothing sound of nothing.

How she actually drinks her coffee?

Cold, reheated, not at all (cause it spilled), or in a totally obsessive, absolutely-going-to-have-the-jitters-because-she's-had-seven-cups already-and-it's-only-noon kind of way while she rushes around to sounds of screaming, crying, whining and fighting.

She likes a peaceful start to the day, marked by routine, good listening, positive behavior, and a timely departure for school.

How her morning actually looks?

Her morning can be described using this one all-encompassing compound word -- sh*t-show.

She likes time to herself.

She likes when her children are in the safe and loving confines of their schools where they are picking up so many incredible nuggets of knowledge and engaging in developmentally appropriate social interactions, while she does the same at the local cafe, library, gym or when she does her work.

How her time actually looks?

Her time is spent doing laundry, dishes, cooking and cleaning on repeat, on repeat, on repeat, on repeat.

Sorry, not sure what happened there -- must have been some glitch.

She likes for afternoon pick-ups to be joyful.

How her afternoon pick-ups really go?

Well, that would depend on the day and the general fluctuating mood of her multi-personality bearing love nuggets who seem to jump from feelings and emotional extremes like some sort of sport.

She likes for homework and bath to go swimmingly (and swim they do in that tub making a holy heck of a water mess) with each child completing their educational and self-care tasks calmly and without protest.

How homework and bath really go?

Her homework and bath time with the children can best be described as:

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy???

Nooooooooooo!!!

I donnnn't waaaannnnt to!!!

Why do I have to go first????

Why do I have to do more homework than them???

Mom!! She's bothering me!!!

And now the tub has overflowed.

She likes for bedtime to be a winding-down time with some book reading, snuggles, and easy conversation before a visit to dreamland and no waking for anyone until morning.

How bedtime really looks?

Bedtime really looks like arguments over whose book gets read first, who isn't paying attention to the book, who won't stop squishing the other, unexplainable tears, phantom boo-boos, requests for water, and lots and lots and lots of night waking.

But, here's the thing...

She likes to sleep, but she loves you more.

She likes a steamy cup of hot coffee, but she loves you more.

She likes her mornings to go smoothly, but she loves you more.

She likes time to herself, but she loves you more.

She likes an easy school pick-up, but she loves you more.

She likes agreeableness when it comes to homework and bath, but she loves you more.

She likes bedtime to be trouble-free and to go quick, but she loves you more.

You see, your mama likes a lot of things, but there is nothing that she likes and loves more than you, and so for now, at least, she's uber-content not having things exactly how she prefers them.

Perhaps if they were, her day-to-day would be quite a bit less stressful.

But, let's keep it real here, mamas were made to be challenged so that they can own every obstacle in their path, and that is what makes every day an anxiety-inducing, but ultimately growth-provoking adventure for them.

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