I remember it vividly. Almost 9 years ago we were at my parent’s house for a Sunday dinner and when the meal was hot and ready, we all sat down at the table and started serving food onto our plates. At the time, my older sister had a 1 year old. He was the first grandchild in our family. My sister immediately began cutting his chicken into itty bitty little pieces, spoon feeding him miniature bite after miniature bite while her plate remained empty. “Wow. That must be rough!” I thought to myself. All of this delicious, hot steamy food standing right in front of her and she has to feed her kid first??! I guess that’s what happens when you have kids? They get to eat first.

Twenty five hundred dinners and three kids of my own later, I get it.

It’s true.

The kids always come first and we learn to get by without much.

Lukewarm mash potatoes are still mashed potatoes.

We can make due with 5 hours of sleep.

Three minute showers (with an audience)? Hey. I’ll take it.

Left over peanut butter and jelly crust for lunch? Bring it on. (Because you never know when you’ll get lucky and score the last 3 bites in mac and cheese pot.)

Cartoons always trump the Today’s Show.

And dinner, most likely standing up, after everyone has finished and scurried away to play? You betcha.

We don’t need much.

Because they do. (And no, I’m not usually always this smiley about it!)….

But that doesn’t mean we give up everything. Maybe it’s coffee and mascara. Maybe it’s zumba and chardonnay. Maybe it’s a babysitter every once in a while just because…. Maybe it’s a pedicure and an epic girls’ night out followed by a “sleep in pass” courtesy of your husband the next morning.

We don’t need much.

But if we neglect ourself completely, what do we have left to give?

Shirt | Jeans | Shoes 

I need barre class. I need to sit down for (at least) one real meal per day. I need a weekly date in a coffee shop by myself. I need a daily dose of adult conversation. I need HELP in the form of carpools, grandparents and babysitters. I need time to be with my kids and not have to worry about errands or laundry or making dinner. I need fresh air. I need TV for my kids so I don’t burn the chicken. I need really freaking good eye cream. I need guidance, advice, reassurance and love. I need to end each day with at least a solid hour of butt to couch time and mindless tv (thank you, Kardashians, you serve that need so well). And it all starts each day with coffee and a kick ass tube of mascara. Because sometimes the little things are the big things. If being a mom has taught me nothing else, at least now I know that – on every level.

What do you need?

Well… what are you waiting for?

Thank you to Everfitte for this super comfy and FUN t-shirt. Here are some of my favorites from their shop!

You can shop their entire boutique here.

And when I posted this snap on Instagram, YOU all shared your favorite mascaras:

Thanks to a reader recommendation, I am 100% a Too Faced “Better Than Sex” convert. And you can bet I put it on every morning before I do ANYTHING for anyone else 😉