15 Mommy Moments to Be Proud Of

from American Baby

Childcare is relentless, and no one tells you when you're doing a good job. Here's my typical day and all the things I did that deserve at least a sticker. What about you?

Today, I...

Managed to find a G-rated word to shout after dropping a bottle of apple juice on my bare foot.
Snagged front-row seats for the hottest show in town: the sold-out Wiggles concert!
Extracted my toddler from the mall carousel without bribery, muscle power, or the kind of negotiation skills you might see on Deal or No Deal.
Used the stop-and-go traffic I was stuck in as an opportunity to retrieve various toys, pacifiers, balled-up socks, and bottles as they rolled under my feet.
Plucked both of my eyebrows -- on the same day, no less.
Transferred a sleeping child from the car to the crib without stepping on any squeaky toys, banging my knee on the car seat, or startling the dog (thus obliterating naptime).
Resisted the urge to wet my thumb and wipe the mustard off my boss's otherwise white beard at lunch today.
Forced a smile when my mother-in-law let the baby fall asleep in her arms, effectively undermining the three weeks of sleep training I'd just endured.
Didn't eat the Girl Scout cookies. Well, not all of them. Just the Thin Mints.
Got the "choo-choo" to ride into the "station" over and over again, until all the broccoli was gone.
Saved my son's beloved blankie from falling into the large, murky puddle in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Found bathing suits in size 2T at the store even though the fall fashions are already on display.
Praised my husband for making the bed (the very same bed I've made every single day with no audible acknowledgment or, heck, even a thumbs-up for seven years).
Got a hero's welcome, and all I'd done was step outside to get the mail.
Found, in the car: a safety pin, Superman underpants, three Band-Aids, Barbie's shoes, a Starbucks napkin that had doubled as a tissue, change for the kiddie rides, and the school nurse's phone number. The playgroup calls me "MacGyver."

Excerpted from You're a Good Mom by Jen Singer (2008). Reprinted by permission of Sourcebooks, Inc.