Mother's Day

Just like valentine's day, Mother's day is another day created by the card companies and other retailers to make people buy stuff.  It's great that there's a day designated to make us feel special and appreciated (if we're lucky), but unfortunately life doesn't stop for Mother's day (or Father's day even).  There are still ball hockey tournaments, which Derrick is playing in again today, and once the kids are older, they'll have activities on this day as well.  I also laugh at all the emails I received this morning saying happy mother's day, here's a sale on children's clothing.  Great, it's a day about me and I'm still going to go shopping for my child.  How about you offer free babysitting for an hour so I can grab lunch sans kids and then I'd maybe happily return to your store and buy a couple outfits.  Win win!!!

So Moms, what do you want for Mother's day?  I think most Moms wouldn't list material items.  It really is those little things that the kids and maybe the husband put some thought into.  I think most Moms would agree that they really just want to feel appreciated.  We do more than most people will ever realize (I'm not even going to get into the lengthy list here) and for one day out of the year, we really want to feel special.  Unfortunately for the husbands or boyfriends, the kids are too young at the beginning to understand any of this, so the job falls on them.  I know my husband has pulled the "but you're not my mother" or proceeded to tell the kids (just Jayna last year) that they should do something for me.  I find this extremely funny because when it comes to Mother's day, birthdays and Christmas for his own mother, myself and my sister in law (Derrick's brother's wife) are the ones who sort out what we are doing for his mother, not her three boys.

Motherhood is the most contradicting thing in the world.  It is the most thankless job yet the most rewarding.  It is the best yet the worst job.  One minute you love it, the next you hate it.  I know things will get easier and the craziness will slow down (or just become another kind of craziness) and one day things will be really fun.  I really do love being a mother.  A day like yesterday makes it really easy as well as right now; the babies are making happy noises and Jayna is cuddled up next to me watching videos of herself and the babies.  Funny, it's Mother's day and Derrick is still sound asleep at this time, while I've been up for an hour already.  

I heard an interesting commercial yesterday and now here is my version.  To all the mothers who let your child barf on you so there's less mess to clean up and to the mothers who barf when their child barfs.  To all the mothers who stay at home with their children and to the mothers who work outside the home as well.  To all the mothers who let their babies cry it out and to those who can't bring themselves to do it.  To all the mothers who breastfeed and to those who breastfeeding didn't quite work out.  I could go on and on.  You are all fantastic mothers and I hope you feel appreciated for more than just the one day a year.  Happy Mother's Day.