Pretty underwear:)

This past week I had a great girlfriend of mine come up to visit from Texas, it was such a wonderful visit that taught me valuable lessons. I always try and learn new things from my friends and take away advice and ideas. I believe as women we are like a treasure box filled with secrets and tips from life experiences and trials and tribulations. As much as I like to pretend I know it all, and yes I try and pretend, the clear fact remains that i do not. I am reminded of this as I walk with my girlfriend and see the things she does in her life to bring her small amounts of joy. These, mind you are not profound things they are as simple as buying herself new underwear, buying that special treat she wants so she knows she wont overindulge and watching her perfect her makeup as if shes an artist. "self-care" is what she calls it and somehow in my new motherhood I have completely forgotten that it is ok to take care of myself and not feel guilty about it. Why do we do this as women, even the makers of jet liners know to put in the instruction manual please place your mask on yourself before assisting others, why are we so backwards in our thinking with our husbands, children and beyond? Why do we feel like the more we martyr ourselves for others this somehow proves us worthy? Is this ingrained in our beings or is this just a generational curse passed on from one guilty mother to the next. Now I by no means think this is an excuse to neglect my daily living rituals, taking care of the kids and putting dinner on the table but I have learned this from my dear friend...it is ok to take a shower before my kids do, to make my hair pretty, to buy those pretty underwear just because they make me feel better. It is ok to order takeout instead of cooking and that the dishes will wait for me if I choose to watch 3 reruns of sex & the city. It took me six days of watching my friend truly enjoy herself and her self care to realize I was missing out on life's little secrets. The day she left I hit the gym and I went tanning and put my son in the gyms daycare for the first time because for the first time in a long time I knew that taking care of myself meant I would become a better mother, wife, lover and friend. And now I hope to pass along this wisdom to other women....What have you done for "you" today?