I’ve been wondering this for a long time … am I the only mother who always seems to put herself last? It’s been weighing on my mind for awhile now … my children are up to date on well, everything. They’ve each seen the dentist as often as they are supposed to (twice per year), my six year old had her eyes checked twice last year, they both got regular check-ups with their pediatricians as scheduled. They both manage to get regular hair cuts. My two year old is in every three weeks! And new clothes? You guessed it … they probably each get something every time I walk into target.

And then there’s me.

I realized around my birthday in December that it was about time for me to call and get in for all the normal doctors appointments … turns out it had been two years since I’d had my teeth cleaned (even as I type that it makes me feel gross). My vision exam? 15 months. (truth be told … I only called because I didn’t have any contacts left and they wouldn’t allow me to order any new ones without an appointment). And my yearly physical? Turns out it’s not quite yearly as it had been 18 months. My hair? I went to take Tyler in for a hair cut in December and he happens to see the same stylist I see and she even pointed out that I hadn’t had my hair cut and/or colored since January.

What did I do all year? Oh … I know … everything else. The kids get taken care of, the house stays relatively clean, the laundry gets done (imagine if I let that go for a year) and the kids get everywhere they need to go — activities, playdates, school.

I really don’t put myself first … and as a mother, am I supposed to? Sure, I need to stay healthy so that I can make sure the family is functioning … but would I want to be the mom whose kids look disheveled and yet, I appear fabulous? Probably not. But … wowza, seems like I should be a priority, too. Now, I do get to the gym at least four times a week and I do manage a shower each and every day.  I also make sure my hubby and I get date nights at least twice per month.

What about you … are you a prioirty in your family?? And if you are … how do you DO it?? Clearly, I need some tips!!