You Know You're a Mom When...

-
 
A keen sense of humor helps us to overlook the unbecoming,
understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant,
overcome the unexpected, and outlast the unbearable.
-Billy Graham

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Malea has a fascination with the kitchen. I'm convinced she is destined for a bright future in the culinary arts. So, it's no wonder I opened my towel drawer the other day and found one of her Fisher Price people nested safely inside. It humored me so much, I snapped a photo immediately. Two days ago, she pushed one of my big stock pans around our living room, all while hanging onto the handles. She pulls Spongebob and Dora placemats out of my cookie sheet cabinet and leaves them all over the house. Her favorite is the towel drawer, where I often find her parading about the house with a towel on her like a cape. Why do I let her do this? Because it makes me laugh.

When Madison was her age, we gated her into rooms. We locked and secured all cabinets. We baby proofed everything. I'm not saying that our home is an accident waiting to happen to our 1 year old. I prefer to say we are more relaxed as parents. I never would have let Madison play with my pans. I wouldn't have allowed her into the towel drawer. In short, I wouldn't have allowed her to make a mess. Now I fear I've taught Madison to be as uptight as I was when she was an infant. I think of it every time she cries when she can't get her socks on. If she can't tie her shoe on the first try, she bursts into tears. Every time it happens I think, what have I done?

I truly believe that Malea was sent to us to teach me to relax. I think back to the ultrasound photo brilliantly snapped by the technician showing her flashing us a peace sign. That's right, even in the womb, she was trying to tell us something. I immediately called her my Zen baby.

So, in 2011 I vow to leave the cabinets unlocked. To allow pans to be used as toys in my house (safely of course). To laugh when the chocolate milk appears on the ceiling (which I hope doesn't really happen again). To smile when Maddie picks out clothes that don't come close to matching. To not take things so seriously I forget to see the amazing things taking place before me because unfolding before my very eyes are two wonderful little girls that make me so lucky to say I am their mother. I realize I can't take back what I've already taught Maddie, but going forward, we can remember one thing...no matter what life hands us, never forget the power of laughter. Oh, and Fisher Price little people in towel drawers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Letters

-
Image
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.  ~ Kahlil Gibran ------------------------------------------ Well, here it comes folks. The blog that will either keep you reading or destroy whatever relationship we've been having.  Either way, what I write here is mine.  I made absolutely no claim at perfection, although you really should have known that already by the title of this blog.  While this was difficult to write and took quite a bit of reflection, again, it is truly my own.  After days of pondering and writing, daughter of the year #1 gave me a big sign tonight that I was finally ready to post this.  Dad of the year suffered a loss in his family recently and, in my mind, the worst kind.  The one that creeps up on you and surprises you with grief you didn't think you would have.  Or should I say, grief you didn't think you would need to work th...
Read more

The Devil's Instrument

-
Image
Music is what feelings sound like.  ~ Author Unknown ---------------------------- I knew this day would come.  In fact, I hoped it would.  But never, ever, did I think it would try my patience like it has. Growing up, music was like air to me.  I needed it daily and as my relationship with it grew, it became something very important to me. I nearly made it a career until I grew unsure how I would actually accomplish that.  My mom will tell you all about the scholarship I turned down as a result, just ask her. In the end, it was a love but, for me, it was never a career.   Daughter of the year #1 has been taking piano lessons for 3 years.  There were times it tested me but that mainly came from frustrated bangs on the keys and hearing Jolly Old Saint Nicholas clear into the month of March.  Who knew my ultimate test of patience would come with a 12 inch piece of plastic with holes.   Ah, the blessed rec...
Read more

Notebooks

-
Image
Drench yourself in words unspoken. Live your life with arms wide open.   Today is, where your book begins.   The rest is still unwritten.   -Natasha Bedingfield I've sat down to write so many times I've lost track.  I get started then stop.  Something was always missing. Wittiness. A lesson. Humor. An ending that made sense.  Something!  I would always leave that writing for another day.  Another day never came.  Time after time, I'd go back to it, then scrap it and start over.   Starting over.  What a funny notion.  An empty piece of paper, a blank slate, always clean and new.  Always. I mean, who would argue the best part of school starting was new notebooks.  No writing or markings, just waiting for fresh knowledge.  Ok, so I still love a new notebook.   Losing someone you care for always makes you reflect on things, on your own notebooks of time; your blank pie...
Read more