Story of Motherhood {lily jade purse giveaway!}

purse: c/o Lily Jade * lips: Hint of Tint by Brooklyn Herborium * sweater: similar cashmere here * dress: REI * boots: Bogs

 

Lately, with a new baby on the way, I’m feeling like I’m either improving in my role as a mom or I’m really really letting everything go so that it feels like it’s getting easier. Hard to tell which. You’d have to ask the kids. They’re gonna say I do a lot of #laydownmothering so probably letting it all go.

But as I do watch the story of my motherhood unfold before me in the form of their aggressive hugs & sibling squabbles, I see more and more that this isn’t my story. It’s our story. I can be the best mom I think I am, thank you pinterest and instagram for the affirmation, but if I’m not connecting with them in a way they need, I’m not actually being a great mom. This give and take goes back and forth with three human beings separate from myself. Parts of the day they love me, parts of the day they loathe me, and much of the day they’re consumed with their own adventures and ignoring me and my calls to come in for lunch.

Even how this new baby, only 7 weeks inside me, has taken our family to another level surprises me. The kids are unified in few things (aside from love of hot dogs and aversion to asparagus–I means, how is that possible? dripping with butter and salt, roasted?) but their fierce interest in baby is across the board.

Pulling up my shirt to get at my puffed-out-post-third-child-mama-tummy-not-from-this-pregnancy and smother it with kisses and sighs of ahhhhh he or she said they love me! is a daily and even hourly occurrence. The bloom may fall off the rose as they do have to wait until December to actually hold the babe, but at this stage, he or she is still captivating a trifecta of affection.

My own vision of motherhood strains and groans and grows along with our family size. My story, their story, our story, is a day-to-day attempt to be loving and patient and kind. Hopefully they keep on loving each other as they grow!

I love that the Madeline is either a backpack or over the shoulder bag. Its leather is the perfect durable softness needed for a bag attacked by children that’s also doubling as a purse! I really love the company and the promotion of community they’re always doing. Family-owned and operated is a gem these days–and I met the owners at a conference two summers back. They’re as real and delightful as they seem on social media. Follow their facebook and instagram accounts to see the community I’m talking about!

Lily Jade was so sweet to send this Madeline in Brandy over and wants to give one away to one of you! Tell your story of motherhood either in social media (hashtag #storyofmotherhood) or linking through this link. I hope you win!! The Lily Jade #storyofmotherhood Giveaway!

amazon links affiliate. lily jade purse a gift but views are absolutely my own!