Getting Real with Kira Hazledine
There are parents out there that look completely polished. I am so envious of the moms that look gorgeous with pristine hair and makeup every day. I honestly wish I had the skills, because even when I do put on makeup twice or so per year, I don’t look like the tutorials. But really, even before motherhood, I didn’t put effort into my makeup or hair. I spent all my college years in sweatpants and t-shirts, and motherhood looks about the same.
The difference now, is that I used to have more options in how to use my time. If I wanted to, I could spend 2 hours bouncing around my bathroom listening to music and curling my hair. As a mother, I’m short on time and energy, and my attention is directed towards my busy toddler. I’m tired, and if we are trying to leave the house, I’m more than likely running late. With everything that it takes to get out the door, my list of the many things I don’t have time for gets longer ever day.
Here’s a small sampling of my list:
- Shaving my legs – I’m in athletic shorts regularly because, duh, they’re comfortable, but I only noticed the other day how out of hand things had gotten. My best estimate would be about 2 months? Even I was shocked about the length of my leg hairs this time around, and that’s saying something. But when 80% of my showers are occupied by my daughter, shaving is not a thing. I’ve officially hit the point where a razor no longer does the job, so if I really want a clean shave, I’m going to have to enlist the help of my husband’s electric shaver.
- Makeup – I married the right man, and I know because even he looks at me weird if I mention makeup. “Why? You never wear makeup, and you look beautiful anyways”. That is the correct answer, you wonderful person. Thank you, because I truly don’t give a crap about makeup and I’d just rather not. That means I have to wash it off later, and showers are already too hard. Toddler, remember?
- Brushing my hair – Most of the time, it’s piled on top of my head. Even my hairdresser knows that on my semi-annual visits, it can’t go too short, because then I wouldn’t be able to be so careless. Can you tell if my hair isn’t brushed? Don’t care. My daughter’s hair is brushed, so quiet yourself and be happy for the team effort.
- Shirts that make breastfeeding hard – A nip-slip is not on my list of things to do today, so every clothing decision I make revolves around how accessible my boobs are. I have some cute clothes among the t-shirts, but they’ve been collecting dust for a couple years now between pregnancy and breastfeeding. The last thing I have time for is fighting with my outfit while my daughter screams in irritation.
- Toddler clothes with buttons – Why. Why do manufacturers do this to parents? Hallie sits still for one button max. Anything more and I’m chasing her or trying to pin her down with my legs, because those buttons take both hands. Buttons for small, mobile children suck. Snaps, please.
Luckily, my natural lazy habits have adjusted very well to motherhood. Today, I left the house in my husband’s sweatpants (he is an entire foot taller than I am, so it sort of looked like it was hammer time) and I have absolutely no regrets. When I’m chasing Hallie, comfort is all I care about. Also, when I do have time for anything on the above list (which is almost never) I get a lot of compliments out of minimal effort. “Wow, your hair looks great”! Thanks, I brushed it. Win.
Could I make time to brush my hair and do makeup? Of course, but I choose to do other things, like lay in bed. There are different kinds of moms, and we all have things we don’t have time for. You don’t have to wander around in sweatpants or put on a full face of makeup, either. Maybe your makeup routine is part of self-care, and that’s awesome! If your child’s well-being is the priority, it doesn’t matter what the rest of your list looks like. You do what makes you happy, and let yourself embrace the messy realities, too.
What’s on your list of things you don’t have time for?
Photo by Lenses and Laughter Photography, Bath NY
