Just a few reasons why I love being mom (lately)

1.  The look of triumph on my toddler's face when he does the splits on the playground handrails for the first time. Haha!

2.  School performances.  Love them.

My sweetheart dressed up as a giant construction paper flower at the Kindergarten Mother's Day Tea? The cute-o-meter just burst right there.

And double the happiness that she is still at an age where she gets SO excited to have me visit her school for stuff like this.

This guy's preschool performance was pretty awesome too, and he has the best smile.

3.  Nights out (to mobster themed parties) are infinitely more appreciated when they are few and far between.

4.  Baby smiles!!!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?  I'll take 10 more babies please.

5.  It doesn't take much for me to basically be a superhero in my kids' eyes.

Ice cream at McDonald's after school?  Might as well be dinner at Buckingham Palace.

Plastic storage tubs and a cooler filled with hose water in the backyard?  Who needs expensive waterpark tickets!

6.  Crazy bedhead is ALWAYS good for a smile.

7.  As is a crazy outfit at the mall (or pretty much anywhere).  Yep, my kid's got style!

8.  Messes.  So many MESSES!!! ... and opportunities to laugh really, really hard about them.  Yes, that's the entire tube of my favorite lipstick.

9.  Improving my art skills in ways I never imagined.  Miles and I draw/paint/create multiple pictures/crafts/puppets of his choosing on a daily basis.  It's always a team effort.  Never thought I'd be drawing cutesy cartoon character versions of deer hunting.

10.  Pirate cowboy faces at the rodeo.

... and cowboy boots on diaper babies.

 11.  Mommy/daughter dates that have us both belly laughing followed by Lila saying "This is SO fun mommy."  Heart officially melted.

12.  Selfies like this and those above that are SO much better than those self-absorbed duck face ones.  Am I right?

Mom = best job/responsibility/divine calling/blessing EVER.