Perfection Pending

By Meredith Ethington

  • My Books
    • The Mother Load
    • Mom Life: Perfection Pending – The Book
    • Free eBook: Sometimes Motherhood Sucks
    • How To Grow Your FB Following
  • Motherhood
    • Inspiration
    • Encouragement
    • Childhood
    • Humor
    • Parenting Memes
    • Friendship
    • Marriage
  • Kid Ideas
    • Recipes
    • Practical Tips
    • Babies & Toddlers
    • teens and tweens
    • The Elementary School Years
  • Mental Health
    • Mental Health
    • Anxiety
  • About
    • Favorite Posts
    • My Portfolio
    • Privacy & Disclosures

Chandler

Super Mom to the Rescue

  • Share
  • Tweet

My day started out with a very snotty baby.

Wait. Let me back up. My night started with something like that. It was around 10:30 pm when I finally decided to go to bed. I heard him stirring and crying. Not a good sign. I went in and he downed another bottle. Maybe he was just hungry? Nope. He was up every hour like clock work. He wouldn’t take his paci, wouldn’t eat again, he was just restless all night. Just about the time I would drift off to sleep, he would cry again. At around 3 am, I finally turned off the monitor after giving him some Tylenol. I was wide awake. Writing a blog post in my head (not this one). Stop it! I yelled to myself, and probably 30 minutes later I did finally fall into a restless sleep myself.

Groggily, I got out of bed and got Avery off to school. I asked Kyle to get dressed and that’s when he told me, “I changed my underwear because it was wet”. Yep, so were his sheets. A problem we’ve been having lately. Sigh. At least it’s laundry day. As I get a load of laundry to take downstairs, I slip through the basement door trying to keep the cat from running upstairs. She is banished to the basement or outside from now on after the incident. As I try to navigate my deadly stairs made of tile with an annoying cat under my feet, she attacks. Well, excuse me for daring to walk down my stairs you spawn of satan! I head back upstairs to bandage up my leg.

At this point, I feel like crawling into a corner and rocking myself to sleep, my day gets promising. A friend offers to take Kyle to one of those bouncy house places that he’s been dying to go back to. After originally inviting all of us, and hearing me complain about my night, she offered to just take him along with her and her two kiddos. SO nice, huh? I’m so grateful for friends that know just how to help. I get him out the door, and am starting to feel a little more like I’ve got things under control. I decide to go change the laundry. Now, this is where things get interesting. And humorous. Because how can you NOT find the humor in days like this?

There is a door in the kitchen that leads to the basement stairs that I keep closed when I go down to the basement. This is to avoid my toddler (who thinks he can go down stairs like big people) from tumbling down the death trap stairs (as I lovingly call them), I keep that door shut when I have to run down to grab something. Half way down the stairs is a door that leads to the outside of the house (pictured below…picture has been shrunk to avoid embarrassing the innocent who are supposed to clean the stairs). Once you pass that landing there are a few more stairs that lead to the laundry room. “I’ll just run down there real quick and switch the laundry”, I think.

P1040053

The death trap stairs.

I head back up with a load in my arms and go to open the door at the top of the stairs leading back into the kitchen. It’s locked. Now, usually, you are grateful when your child reaches a new milestone, like newfound dexterity with his thumb and forefinger, until he does something like lock you in the basement.

Crap.

Luckily, I had my cell phone in my pocket. I very calmly call my husband (unlike the phone call from the cat incident) and explain my dilemma. He repeats back to me, “Chandler locked you out?” I hear laughter in the background. “Are your coworkers laughing at me?” I ask. He laughs, “They are saying, ‘Child Anarchy!'” Somehow I don’t find this too humorous.

I go outside where it is 33 degrees with a blizzard like wind blowing with no shoes or coat and see if the front door is unlocked. It isn’t. He reminds me that the kids’ window is probably still open from last night when we cracked it. Lovely. I get to climb through a window. “I’ll call you back” I say. Didn’t want to listen to his coworkers laughing at me while I tried to shimmy my way through a window.

I go back to the basement door and listen. “Chandler!” I call. He is right there. I hear things jangling. I imagine him choking on something small, like coins. “Unlock the door buddy!” I realize I’m talking to a baby, and that is ridiculous. Sigh. I guess I get to climb through a window. Great. This is going to be awesome.

I go to the back deck. Looking for something to climb on. I try a chair. Too short. But, I do get the window open. Chandler comes into the room where the window is and smiles at me. Holding my wallet. He’s happy, and not choking on coins. Yet.

Then, I move the porch swing that is right under the window, and slide the grill over to the window. This thing is tiny, 11 years old, rusty, and not too reliable. But, it’s my only choice. I hoist myself up on top. I realize that breaking and entering is not all it’s cracked up to be if you’re a tired mom of 3, who still hasn’t lost the baby weight (and then some), wearing no shoes climbing through a 100 year old window that won’t open all the way. I just think to myself, “Thank goodness I’m climbing in the back window where no one can see me.” I start to pull myself in. There is no bending, so I have to just slide in flat (as possible) throwing the millions of tiny little toys and crap out of the way that is sitting on my daughter’s dresser. I made it. Chandler starts pointing at the window and laughing after I’m in.

Real funny, kid. Real funny.

P1040052

This is the opening I had left to work with. Notice the now dangling screen.

P1040054

You can see the grill I got to stand on in this picture.

I call my husband back, and tell him I’m in. He asks, “What was Chandler doing while you were climbing in the window?” I say, “Playing with my wallet.” He repeats it back to me (probably for the benefit of his work partner), “He had your wallet?” I hear snickering, and a question in the background “Did he have the keys to the car too?” “I’ve got to go” I say to my husband (before I jump through the phone and strangle one of those jerks for making fun of me). They probably think I’m a certified nut case who has no control over the house during the day. Maybe I am. But, I like to think of myself as Super Mom.  It’s OK. I give you permission to call me that.

After all, I can leap tiny grills, and pull my fat butt through windows after my baby locks me out.
You need skills for that.

Tell me your day has been just as awesome? Or vote for my blog here:

Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory


Leave a Comment

« Could A Stuffed Frog Hold the Key?
Family Portraits »

Comments

  1. little poppits says

    April 9, 2013 at 3:28 pm

    you are so super mum. xxx

    Reply
  2. Amber Perea says

    April 9, 2013 at 5:27 pm

    Jp locked me outside once. So much fun! I loved getting to relive that awesome moment through you! 😉

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      April 9, 2013 at 6:03 pm

      Ha! Glad I am not alone. 🙂

      Reply
      • Amber Perea says

        April 9, 2013 at 6:07 pm

        Nope, he’s locked me in, locked me out, locked himself in rooms. With Jp, the sky is the limit when it comes to Murphy’s Laws. 😉 Never alone, love!

        Reply
  3. Emily Davenport says

    April 9, 2013 at 6:01 pm

    At least you didn’t lock yourself out, that’s my normal modus operandi. Definitely supermom.

    Reply
  4. Rollin with the Fruit Punches says

    April 9, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Congratulations! we’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award!
    http://fruitpunchin.weebly.com/1/post/2013/04/and-the-liebster-nomination-goes-tome.html

    Reply
  5. Ashley Austrew says

    April 9, 2013 at 8:30 pm

    Hahahaha! Oh my gosh!!

    Reply
  6. Jennifer DeRouen (@SassyInspired) says

    April 9, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    Haha! My daughter locked me out of the house when she was 2, luckily I was able to get her to unlock it, my cell was inside the house with her! lol

    Reply
  7. asmith864 says

    April 9, 2013 at 10:11 pm

    That’s one heck of a day! You are super mom! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Rayna Drago says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:22 am

    I am so honored to be referenced in your blog!! HA! Your stories just crack me up…I laughed so hard when you called the cat spawn of satan!! LOLOLOL!!! That is just so funny. Not that he bit you but what you wrote. 😉 Can’t beat a day like yesterday for sure…sorry I was off having fun with the kids while you were burglarizing your own house.

    Reply
  9. The Water Bearer says

    April 12, 2013 at 2:25 am

    Hahaha This post makes me happy that my youngest is now 9yrs and I don’t get caught in these types of predicaments anymore (well not at their hands anyway 😉 )

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Desperate Parenting. Make it Stop. | Faking Picture Perfect says:
    April 22, 2013 at 3:58 pm

    […] I decided not to go into a lecture about lying right then with the friend there, and instead, waited until later that day. We had a long talk about how proud I was of her that she finally told the truth. Even though it was hard. Even though it was in front of a friend. I told her that I knew it had to be even harder to stand up for the right thing in that situation. She admitted that she had been “worried” that I would get mad, and that is why she lied. We talked about how I will always be more proud of her for telling the truth then for the thing that she is worried about telling me. It was a good moment. I felt like Super Mom 2.0. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

The Mother Load

Perfection Pending on Instagram

perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
Grab my new book, The Mother Load, available now. 👇👇

Night night! 😤 Night night! 😤
If you missed my last post about how raising teens If you missed my last post about how raising teens can wreck you mentally….wellll this is part of the reason why. So lonely! But we are in this together somehow. 😂 Make sure to check out my latest substack and grab a copy of my book —- The Mother Load!
NEW ---> "When there are problems in these big kid NEW ---> "When there are problems in these big kid years, it’s no longer really acceptable to call a friend and air the annoyances of the situation. At least not the specifics.

Sure, you can commiserate with a fellow parent about teenagers being the worst.

But, to be honest - they’re not the worst. They’re kind of amazing. But their problems make me tired to my core." 

Read the latest on my substack. I promise you'll relate. ❤️
So sweet. ❤️ Follow me @perfectpending and bet So sweet. ❤️
Follow me @perfectpending and better yet buy my book or subscribe to my substack to support me.
"I don’t know about you, but I don’t really wa "I don’t know about you, but I don’t really want same-ness anymore. I want messy. I want admissions that shit is hard and we don’t have it all together. I want to have a makeup free, messy bun in my sweats run in with a mom friend and not feel worried she’s checking out my un-groomed eyebrows.

I don’t want to try to give off this illusion that I’m control of my life any better than the next person. It’s a shitshow for all of us, and we continue to hide it for fear of what? Being human?"

Read the rest on my Substack. Link in profile.
WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I MISS IT? What if I miss the best time of my life. What if it’s right this second?
What if it’s right now while I’m in finals week of grad school, and have a kid that’s sick? 
I already miss so much. The gummy smiles of babes without any teeth. The squeaky voices of 2 year olds. The babbling of a baby that’s just trying so hard to say mama. The grammar mistakes my kids make when they’re talking that I don’t have the heart to correct because I love it too much. 

I miss a lot about those younger years that have already slipped away. My youngest is sick, much like in this picture, but he is too big to snuggle in my arms now when he’s running a fever. 

Today I had the thought, what if this is it? What if this IS the happiest I’ll ever be?
For a moment, I lingered in that thought as I stood over my sink and did the dishes. I started to cry.
Am I missing it? AM I? I felt a tug that maybe I was. Maybe I wasn’t relishing enough, and enjoying enough, and being present enough.
But, then I realized, it will never be ENOUGH. 

Read the rest in my substack ❤️
New year, same me. 😂 #mentalhealth #anxiety #de New year, same me. 😂
#mentalhealth #anxiety #depression
"I don't care" as I literally care about every sin "I don't care" as I literally care about every single thing.
I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of th I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of this. *sweeps arm generally at planet earth*

Look, I’ve never been a half glass full kind of gal. I can ALWAYS find the negative in every situation. 

But, right now it’s easy to say that I’m over it. It being.....

The state of our economy. Social media. People being unemployed. People being racist and homophobic. The debate over politics. People judging people. ALLLLLL of it. 

Everything is crap right now. We joke about it a lot. We have to in order to survive. 

It’s the one millionth day of January but Spring feels so far away. 

I’m over these four damn walls that we call home. 

Yeah, I know. Even as I’m typing this it all sounds like a bunch of ungrateful whiney BS. I hear it. I don’t need you to point it out, Karen. 

But, my guess is you’re reading this right now and realizing you’re over it too. Whatever “it” is in your life.

Some days the world feels like total crap. Everything is a mess. Everything costs too much. For E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y. 

Yes, even for you Karen. ➡️➡️ to keep reading.
Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mea Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mean someone loves you that much to communicate them! Love this wisdom from @wittyidiot
NEW POST ----> "This is not a post about loss of a NEW POST ----> "This is not a post about loss of a loved one. Or loss of a child. Those things are real, and they’re heart wrenching. And, this post is certainly not to compare that loss with the one I’m going to talk about.

But, the loss of yourself in motherhood is real. And It’s not talked about enough." 

Do you feel like you lost yourself in motherhood? How? I really want to know. 

Psss - I am in grad school to become a therapist, and am not ashamed to ask that you subscribe to my paid substack. I just lowered the cost to $36/year! That's like $4/month and you'll have access to all my previous posts, and some new weekly short posts to give you ideas to help with balancing motherhood and your own mental health. I'm learning a lot in school, and will only continue to do so, so subscribe and we'll support each other. ❤️
This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣 This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣
Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon
I’m sorry are you really wearing doc martens and I’m sorry are you really wearing doc martens and a dress with spaghetti straps and a Tshirt under it while you’re telling me I’m doing it wrong? 🤣 Life is wild. Teenagers are fun.
Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s th Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s the moral of the story friends? If you think your household is always sick - it’s because they probably are. Kids make everything more germ-y
Here’s what I do know 👇 No one knows what th Here’s what I do know 👇

No one knows what they’re doing. 
We all feel like imposters. 
Our kids love us anyway. 
We’re all going to be OK. 
You’ve got this (as much as any of us do) 😘

#momspiration #momlife #funnymoms #memtalhealth #parentinglife #parentingquotes
"By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to "By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to avoid being human." 

Do you struggle with perfectionism? Parenthood has helped me quite a bit, but It's something I've battled my whole life. I still struggle occasionally, although it's gotten better. But, let's stop trying to avoid being human and instead embrace ourselves an in turn embrace the entire human race. ❤️ I'd love to hear how you embrace being imperfect. 

#perfecționism #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #imperfect #perfectpending #themotherload #thementalload
Mood. Mood.
Some of you wanted sources on my last reel where I Some of you wanted sources on my last reel where I said we only need to be getting it right 30% of the time for our kids to have secure attachments. Well I wrote a bit more about the concept of being the “good enough mother” a term coined in the 50’s by a researcher and pediatrician. Check it all out in my newest post. Link in profile.
It’s true! Researchers have found that as long a It’s true! Researchers have found that as long as you’re doing the repair after mistakes the other times - then 30% is enough! Sometimes I worry I’m not doing it right but I definitely know I’m doing it right 30% of the time! 
Probably a whole lot more to be honest. I bet you are too. #momlife #encouragement #momspiration
Follow on Instagram

You might also like

The Greatest Gift Is To Watch Your Child Leave You

Mom holding baby in nursery and yawning

When Does Parenting Get Less Exhausting? Newsflash – Never.

Dad holding tired girl after trick or treating during Halloween in the 80's

Halloween in The 80’s Was the Best Ever

mom forcing a smile with fingers and blue background

Stop Complaining About Motherhood. Here Are 21 Reasons You Shouldn’t

Here’s How to Deal With Hating Being a Parent

Copyright © 2025 · Perfection Pending · Designed by Krizzy Designs

Copyright © 2025 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in