Thursday's things

Sunday is Mother's Day and for years I asked my own mother why they got a special day, to which she would reply that they got only one day and every day was "kid day".  Never could I understand this.  But now, as a mother myself, I fully understand the meaning of this day.  Here are some things that have helped me to understand what it's all about, and while this list is mostly filled with a wee bit of angst, I do have an equally long list of wonderful things that make me melt!  So, here we go...

• "mama, mama, mama, mama..." - screamed from top of lungs EVERY morning about 7am is terribly jolting for those sleeping.
• "why, but why, but why, but why??" - my response of "because I said so" is TOTALLY ineffective as are most answers.
• "mama, I like daddy the best" - I'm fully aware that this switches whenever convenient for her.
• "mama, I really NEED that" - she is 3, there isn't much she needs other than food, shelter, clothing, and a bath.
• public meltdowns - my excuses are endless but the "no nap" one usually is my go-to excuse for all those staring.
• "I'm taking my shoes off" - I feel as though I am putting shoes on her all day long.  She will never love shoes the way I do...which might be a good thing!
• wide awake at 3am asking..."what are we going to do today" - this doesn't happen every night but it's never predictable.
• "I want mama to do it" - no matter how much help I try to solicit I can still hear her from the next room saying this, which usually requires I intervene.
• "I'm in charge now" - fun for obvious reasons, especially in public.
• "you're mean mama" - this is also fun in public.
• "mama doesn't do that" - usually heard when by chance she lets someone do something for her other than me.
• "can I get a surprise", "did you get me a surprise", "do you have a surprise for me" - apparently we have given her too many surprises...ugh! 
• "help", "rescue me"  - these are fun quips to hear in the middle of the night, in a frantic voice, for obvious reasons.

Of course there are many, many more things that make up the not so glamorous part of motherhood and what makes Mother's Day the very deserving day it is.  And then, out of the blue the toddler will ask, from the next room over, if I can feel the kisses she blows to me, or she will tell me I'm her best friend and make me forget all those other things altogether.  It's a give and take, I suppose, and well...I plan on taking a nap someday...maybe Mother's Day!

image credit: Walter Chappell  1962