*$%!@ Kind of Day!

Yup!  You read that right!  It was one of those days.  You know, the first day of break when you have a To Do list a mile long that you are ready to make a dent in, and then the world happens.  I didn't know about these days in their entirety until I became a mom.  These days are no joke!  That phrase "go with the flow" was designed for days like this.  Well let me tell you, my Type A self has a hard time going with the flow. 
So after a sleepless night with a teething 8 month old, I am here to tell you 5 things I wish I knew before becoming a teacher mama...

1. Tomorrow is a new day!  As a teacher, I know that when my lesson flops I can try again tomorrow.  As a mama, I have to remember the same thing.
2. To Do lists take time.  I have always been one that loves checking things off of my list.  It makes me feel good.  I have learned that it just takes longer to get things done and that is OK.  Really, it is OK.
3. Breaks are no longer about getting stuff done.  Well, they still are to some degree.  But, breaks are for soaking up time with the babe.  There will be time to check things off of that To Do list later.
4. Love ALL the moments.  Yes, all of them, even the cruddy ones where you want to curl up in a ball and cry.  These moments fly by and you don't want to miss out on any of them.
5. SMILE!  This is one of the hardest ones for me.  I get in the thick of the chaos and I forget to smile and be present.  As a mom, your child is always watching you.  They see and sense all of your emotions.  So even when you are exhausted, just smile.  This goes for dealing with your students, too.

These may seem like no-brainers, but I really wish someone would have mentioned them to me several times while I was pregnant; no promises I would have remembered them then. 

What words of advice do you have for when your day isn't going as you planned?