A huge thanks to our friend, Mommyfriend, for this wonderful post!

One of the few constants in parenthood is imperfection; messy, exhausted, beautiful imperfection.

Before I had children I was one of those people who would strive for perfection in everything. While even true perfectionists understand perfection is unattainable (in theory anyway), somehow we still have our doubts. Once I learned I was expecting, I decided I would be the perfect mother to my perfect baby in our perfect home and life would be, well…perfect.

About 30 seconds after my son was born I traded perfection for survival. My baby was where the perfection ended. I had no idea how to be a mother, let alone a perfect mother! I was tired, overwhelmed, tired and did I mention tired?

Abandoning perfection wasn’t an easy transition for me. I tried to maintain order amidst the chaos of motherhood, but I fought the chaos and the chaos won. Begrudgingly, I raised the wrinkled white flag. I could no longer concern myself with those pesky cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling or the dust on the ceiling fan. I was beginning to understand that as a mother I had a higher purpose than chasing elusive perfection. I had been blessed with a precious baby boy who thankfully didn’t need a perfect mother, he needed me.

I realized soon enough there was perfection to be found in parenthood; it was all about the unexpected bliss and sparks of joy right in the heart of the imperfection. It was about recognizing the magical moments in our everyday. Perfection is dropping everything to cuddle with your child. Perfection is the disastrous (and infamous) family portrait. Perfection is the child who grabs your cheeks with both chubby hands and gives you slobbery kisses. Parenthood is beautiful, surprising and perfectly imperfect. These perfect imperfections are the memories that become part of our family folklore.

I strive to recognize the perfection in my everyday because it’s there; constant, comforting and real.

I encourage my fellow parents to add that dash of crazy, sprinkle of chaos and endless love to your family recipe. It’s yours, it’s delicious and it’s perfect!

Thanks to our friend Lindsay Spolan Pinchuk from Bump Club Chicago for this great post!

From the minute you find out you are pregnant, it is all you think about 24/7. If you are keeping your pregnancy a secret until the 12-week mark, those eight weeks between your at-home pregnancy test and your big announcement pass by at a snails pace.

Once you come out of the pregnancy closet, your growing stomach and changing body may be all you think about, but let’s face it, not everyone wants to talk about your pregnancy around the clock.

While I knew this fact early on, I also knew that I had to find some other pregnant friends to get me through the next six months and ultimately into my new role as a mom come October. This notion was the catalyst behind my new business, Bump Club Chicago.

I knew I was not the only pregnant woman in Chicago looking for a good support system, so I decided to create one for myself and other expectant moms in and around the Windy City. Once I saw moms-to-be exchanging phone numbers, email address, and making plans to attend our future events, I knew that Bump Club Chicago was working.

Not only am I the Founder of Bump Club Chicago, but as I prepare for my first baby in October, I also am a member. I too have benefitted greatly from my events and have met some amazing women who I know will be a part of my inner circle and support system for a long time to come.

A few weeks ago a group of us met up at a non-Bump Club Chicago event and spontaneously grabbed dinner afterwards. For two hours we were able to gab about the ups and downs of our belly bumps. I realized that I am not alone and other women out there know EXACTLY what I am going through.

Finding a good support system helps make these nine months even more amazing than they already are. At the same time it helps to have an outlet so that when I am with other friends and family they don’t have to listen to me talk about my sciatic nerve pain or my “innie” all of a sudden becoming an “outtie.” If you don’t have a social group for expectant moms in your city, I encourage you to take extra steps to find a network of your own.

Go to a pre-natal yoga class and introduce yourself to the person next to you, or say hi to someone friendly while shopping for maternity clothes. Maybe ask a friend to set you up for coffee with someone that they know is pregnant. I promise that the conversation will come easy. With two women who are expecting, the topics of discussion are endless.

When my legs become numb from sitting behind my desk at work come 3pm, it is so nice to be able to email my new friend who works nearby to go for an afternoon ice cream. Pregnant or not, this type of friendship is priceless.

About Lindsay:
Lindsay Spolan Pinchuk is the Founder of Bump Club Chicago, the first and only social event company for moms-to-be in the Windy City. A Detroit native, living in Chicago for almost ten years, she earned her Masters of Science degree from Northwestern University in Integrated Marketing Communications and has worked in advertising and publishing for nearly a decade. In her spare time Lindsay and her husband Daniel are avid travelers. When in Chicago she enjoys taking her five-year-old golden retriever, Cooper, to the park and dog beach. Lindsay and her husband are delighted to be expecting their first child this October. Lindsay hopes you find all the resources and support you need during your pregnancy with Bump Club Chicago.

So we see a lot of posts about what it’s like to be a new mother or new grandmother, but what about becoming an Aunt?  Now THAT is cool.

I still remember the evening that I was sitting in a hotel, traveling for work, when my brother called me with the news that he and my sister-in-law were pregnant. I probably sat there for a full minute in silence (something extremely rare for me) with a huge grin on my face… I was going to be an AUNT!

I love children anyway and have been called “Baby Monster” on many occasions due to my love for holding and loving on infants, but this time was different – I was going to be an actual, blood-related Aunt!!

My SIL’s pregnancy flew by (well to me, anyway!), and next thing I knew I was driving 8 hours to meet my new nephew, Little E. 

I had repeatedly made my brother and SIL promise to call as soon as they were leaving for the hospital since I live 532 miles from where he would be born (not that I had the hospital address already set in the GPS or anything).  I pretty much ran down the hallway of the hospital and burst into their room to see my brother holding Little E…

I didn’t think anything would make me pause before snatching that baby to give him kisses, but the sight of my brother holding his son stopped my in my tracks.  It was then (and over the next couple of days) that I realized how amazing it is to watch a sibling transform into a parent.

My older brother is my only sibling and I’ve always looked up to him. I’ve seen him accomplish a lot in life, but seeing him as a dad is by far the coolest yet! He changed diapers, prepped for feedings, soothed and swaddled like an instant pro. 

So yeah, being an Aunt is awesome—I get to spoil the little dude completely rotten, buy all sorts of adorable clothes, one day secretly give him ice cream before dinner even though his parents said no—but the most amazing thing has been watching my brother and SIL go from adults to parents in a matter of moments. 

Plus, come on, how cute is this little guy?  And of course, Little E LOVES his Graco gear (what, did you think I would trust anything but the best for my nephew?! I know, I’m biased!). Thankfully the SnugRide 35 goes up to 32 inches because our Little E was 22.5 inches when he was born—and check out those feet, they barely fit on the ink pad at the hospital! 

There is nothing more adorable than a baby, especially when that baby gets to call me Aunt Sara.

What was it like welcoming a new baby into your family?

There is so much excitement in Bentonville!  Our own Sara Jackson,  Key Account Manager on the Walmart team has become an Aunt!  This little guy was born weighing in at 9lb. 11oz and 22.5 inches long!  Sara was right on the road to Nashville when she heard he was on the way!

Look at those eyes too!

So, this week, we welcome “Little E”!!  Auntie Sara is SO SO proud.  She has promised to tell all about what it’s like to become an aunt.  Watch for a future guest post!

Visit (and share!) other great photos of cuteness and awe on the Graco Flickr page.  

Each week we choose a picture to post featuring your special moments (and some of our own too, of course!)

Maybe you’d like to share that great shot of the ever-growing baby bump you are sporting, your newborn baby’s very first picture or anything that captures the wonder, humor, marvel of childhood and parenthood — here’s how!

The other day I was about to head out the door for an afternoon of alone time. Some shopping, a chick flick at the cinema, and a latte I could actually sit down and savor were on my agenda.

As much as I’d been looking forward to my day away, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that my son needed me. I’m a stay-at-home mom so it’s not like he doesn’t see me enough. I usually don’t have a problem going out on my own, so this wasn’t a case of mommy guilt either. The feeling wouldn’t go away though, so I gave in to it and had my first Mommy date with my little man.

For two and a half years it was just the two of us during the day. We had our cozy little routine and ways of doing things that included lots of snuggles throughout the day. When his baby sister was born things really changed. Naturally I had to tend to the baby, and since he wasn’t so thrilled about being a big brother, he didn’t come around me when I had her. Eventually we found a new normal and have spent the last year carving out new routines and ways of doing things, but it’s not the same.

For our Mommy date we headed into the city and went to that fun mall store where you can make your own stuffed animal. It was our first trip there, and he had to hug every stuffed animal before making his decision. I wanted to hurry him along, but I reminded myself that this was his day. We weren’t in a hurry, and there was nobody else I needed to give my attention to right then. So we dawdled.

We roamed around the mall, unencumbered by a stroller or diaper bag. We ate lunch, sharing an order of fries and talking about the people we saw. The rest of our day was nothing fancy, but it was one of the most special days I can remember having in a very long time. I’m pretty sure my little man felt it too because for days afterward he snuggled a little more, grinned at me a little more, and was a bit more patient when I was tending to his sister.

Having more than one child sometimes feels impossible to juggle. I often feel like there’s just not enough of me to go around. Each child needs me, often at the same time, but I’m only one mom. Fortunately I learned that a Mommy Date can make our days smoother. By spending an afternoon giving my undivided attention to one child at a time, I’m strengthening our bond and ensuring they know how important they are to me, even when I’m busy with their siblings. I think Mommy dates will soon become part of our new normal!

Do you take your children on Mommy dates? How do you ensure each child gets undivided attention from you? I’d love to hear your ideas!