As founding mama of SMITH and mom to a NYC two-year-old who knows the names of more dinosaurs than I do, I couldn’t miss a post on Mother’s Day, even though trying to squeeze it between The Wiggles, a few emails, calls to my mothers and waiting for the “surprise breakfast” that hasn’t yet come, isn’t ideal for creativity.

Or perhaps it is. At least, it’s standard fare for a working mom who would like to declare today a truce in the Mommy Wars being waged. I was late to the book-reading party—who has time?—but grabbed time on a couple of cross-country work trips to find the essays on mommyhood lives worth living to be both inspirational, and heart-breaking.

Happy Mother’s Day—and go find a mom or a mom blog out there—to appreciate, confound or thank.