Cheers to the Moms Who Still Show Up for the Party

To the moms who throw on a cocktail dress after bedtime routines and drive 45 minutes with dry shampoo and coffee-fueled determination, this one’s for you.

To the moms who text, “I might be late, but I’ll be there,” and actually mean it.

To the ones who pack the kids’ bags for a sleepover, bribe with extra screen time, or line up the babysitter, the au pair, the grandparents, or anyone with a pulse just to make it to a baby shower with a bow on the gift and mascara on one eye, I see you.

Because let’s be real. It’s not always easy to show up these days. Between diaper explosions, work emails, nap schedules, toddler tantrums, and Target runs, our bandwidth is maxed out before we even get to the invite. The RSVP isn’t just a yes or no. It’s a logistical equation involving childcare, outfits, gift receipts, and snacks for the drive.

But we still do it.

We still show up.

Not because we aren’t tired. Not because it’s convenient. But because we care.

We want to celebrate you. We want to dance to early 2000s hits at your wedding and watch you open pastel onesies at your shower. We want to clink glasses and say, “You’re doing amazing,” even if we’re also silently calculating how long it’ll take to get home and whether our Spanx can survive another hour.

And the thing is, we need these moments too. The adult connection. The laughter. The little breath of life that reminds us we’re more than just moms. We’re friends, sisters, bridesmaids, godmothers, chosen family.

We’ve learned how to live in the in-between. How to be exhausted and excited. How to cheer for someone else’s big day even when our day was filled with chaos, Cheerios, and conference calls.

So if you’re that mom showing up late with a lukewarm coffee and wrinkled dress but a full heart, you’re not alone.

You are magic. You are commitment. You are community. And I’m raising my glass (and maybe a sippy cup) to you.