Being a mother at any stage of raising children is beautiful and it's also difficult. We're told to enjoy every moment from our kiddos' infancy on, and there is quite a lot that is simply not enjoyable. We're held to standards in terms of skill and ability that others are not, and we simply do not always have all the answers. At the same time, we're told what our bodies are supposed to look like, what our kids are supposed to eat and enjoy, and how they're supposed to behave. We also maybe have full time jobs, and households to run, and even with the most supportive partners, motherhood can be exhausting. I have 12 and 10 year old kiddos, and they are the greatest humans in the world. And also, being a mom is hard work. The baby years, the toddler years, the tween years! It's all a lot to navigate (and throw in perimenopause!) and can get really exhausting and frustrating. We have navigated a lot of ups and downs, and my family are my favorite people in the world, and also I feel overwhelmed sometimes and need to talk to someone else who gets it.