There are days as a new mom when you wake up ready to conquer the world. You’re Beyoncé in leggings, sipping lukewarm coffee and juggling a diaper bag like it’s a Chanel tote. And then, there are days like today. Days when everything seems to fall apart, and you feel like you’re trapped in some endless loop of spit-up, tears, and tantrums—except it’s not you having the tantrum…yet.
Today, Kylie, my almost 6-month-old daughter, was a whole mood. And by “mood,” I mean a cranky, pacifier-throwing, nap-refusing diva. I love her more than anything on this planet, but let’s just say, today, we were not vibing. As a stay-at-home mom, I’m used to spending nearly every minute with her—watching her grow, reveling in those baby giggles, feeling proud of every new milestone. But when your sweet little angel transforms into a teething tyrant, well, even Beyoncé needs a break.
I tried everything. Fed her. Changed her. Sang her favorite song for the hundredth time. But nothing worked. She threw her pacifier out of the crib like it had offended her, then screamed because it wasn’t there. It was like I was trapped in a sitcom, except no one was laughing. At one point, I gave her gripe water, Tylenol, and crossed my fingers that I wasn’t just five seconds away from losing it. Spoiler alert: none of it worked. And I found myself glancing at the clock, counting down the hours until bedtime like it was the finish line of a marathon I didn’t sign up for.
Cue the mom guilt.
In the quiet chaos of her cries echoing from upstairs, I had a realization. Sometimes, it’s not just the baby that’s cranky—it’s me. Somewhere between the bottles and the diapers, I had let my patience evaporate, and I had become a cranky mom. And let me tell you, no one wants to live in a house with a cranky mom.
So, I took a breath. I finished prepping the overnight oats I was making (because, yes, even in chaos, carbs are life), and I gave myself a moment. The dishes could wait. The toys on the floor could wait. Everything could wait—except for Kylie. I headed upstairs, scooped her up, and in that instant, it clicked. The solution wasn’t in another pacifier or another bottle. It was in me showing up for her with a little more grace, a little more love, and a lot less frustration.
I rocked her in the recliner by the window, nursed her, and let the sound of the rain from the Google clock fill the room. Slowly, her fussiness turned into soft coos, and just like that, my little diva was back to being my baby girl. She snuggled into me, and when I finally laid her in the crib, she drifted off to sleep without a peep.
Cue the victory music.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from days like this, it’s that parenting is a dance between love and patience, with the occasional stumble into “I have no idea what I’m doing.” But here’s the thing—on the hardest days, the real victory isn’t getting everything right. It’s in how you recover when everything feels wrong.
And if you, like me, are in the thick of it, here are a few things I’ve picked up along the way:
1. Take a Beat
When your baby’s fussing and you’re on the verge of your own meltdown, it’s okay to step back for a minute. Just breathe. Let the dishes sit in the sink and the laundry pile up. Sometimes, the best way to handle the chaos is to create a little space from it.
2. This Too Shall Pass
The cranky days feel endless, but they aren’t. Your baby’s fussiness will pass—so will the sleepless nights, the teething pain, and the endless diaper changes. Remind yourself it’s temporary, and focus on those fleeting sweet moments. After all, the days are long, but the years are short.
3. Grace Over Guilt
Mom guilt is real, but don’t let it control your narrative. You’re allowed to have bad days. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed. Just remember, you’re doing the best you can. And when you shift your energy from frustration to love, your baby will feel that too.
By the time the day ended, I realized something: neither Kylie nor I was cranky anymore. In the battle of cranky baby vs. cranky mom, I think we both won.
