In a quick poll of my friends who are mothers, I learned that the number one item on almost everyone’s Mothers Day wish list was a day off from motherhood. I feel a little guilty about this (since all of the TV mommies of my past would rather be home making cookies with their adorable offspring than anywhere else on earth), but at least I’m not the only one.
Some of you are reading this and thinking that I’m obviously a Bad Mommy, which means that you either haven’t experienced the joys of everyday life with an extremely emotional 7-year-old, a superhero-obsessed 4-year-old, and a 2-year-old who thinks she’s entering kindergarten…or it was so long ago the memories of wanting to run away from home have faded.
Although I may occasionally have Bad Mommy moments, I’m not all bad. I know this because for the first time, I received GIFTS from all 3 kids for Mothers Day. Just in case today arrived and there were no presents under the Mothers Day shrub for me, I decided to make a weekend of it and I gave myself a whole slew of gifts.
- I went to Adlani’s soccer game on Saturday morning and I talked to my friends for most of the game. I didn’t constantly call out words of encouragement and sometimes I didn’t even pay attention. I trusted that Ben could effectively watch Aliya and Norah with his peripheral vision while he kicked a ball with some random kid who happened to be in the area (probably being ignored by his mother too).
- I went to BJ’s alone (a rare treat) and got caught in a total downpour while I was loading the stuff into the car, so I went to Ben & Jerry’s to console myself. I did a few other errands alone too, during which I didn’t yell, make “the mad face”, threaten anyone under my breath, or drag anyone by the arm as they dangled boneless. I didn’t have to return any shoplifted merchandise or apologize to other shoppers because my child was screeching like a deranged primate since I wouldn’t buy him a bag of gummy tarantulas. I almost felt like a normal human being.
- I went to the library and borrowed 3 books from the kiosks of best sellers beside the entrance. I didn’t search the stacks for something that would qualify as “literature” and I didn’t go to the children’s area. One of the books that called out to me is entitled, “I Was Told There’d Be Cake”, and one of the stand-out lines from the book is, “People are less quick to applaud as you grow older. Life starts out with everyone clapping when you take a poo and goes downhill from there.”
- I went to Starbucks and then to the car wash to have my car cleaned inside and out. The attendant told me that it would be an hour and a half, and I didn’t care one bit. I had my provisions from Starbucks, my books from the library, and the Brick Breaker game on my Blackberry to challenge me in case I got bored with only myself for company.
- I had breakfast in bed while reading People Magazine about how Kirstie Alley gained 83 pounds, which made me feel better about the 7 pounds I re-gained during the holidays and have since re-lost.
- I went to Zumba Friday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning, and then wore my extremely sweaty, stinky clothes to the events that followed.
- I updated the blog with all of the stuff that’s been swimming around in my head for the last couple of weeks so I can start fresh and try not to fall behind.
- I made homemade mac & cheese and drank a bottle of wine (in 2 sittings). Did I mention that I went to Zumba 3 times to balance out all of the previously-mentioned food rewards?
- I watched all of the shows I had saved on the DVR this week, including a real (happy) tear-jerker episode of Oprah about Harpo Hook-Ups.
- I didn’t go to Free Swim at the Y, or to a G-rated movie, or the mall, the playground, a birthday party, or to McDonalds, and I didn’t sleep with anyone (literally or figuratively). I did go to Chuck E. Cheese Friday night but I only had 1 kid with me who ran wild while I socialized.
Here are photos of my gifts…even Ben wrote me a letter but I think he may have bought it on the internet.
Norah is so proud of the heart she painted for me.
Adlani is sooooo not into arts and crafts but he made this beautiful work of art for me and he was so proud of it. He said that he put the cat on it so we could always remember Lily.
Aliya had a plan to set up a massage station in one room, a manicure/pedicure station in another room, and a makeover station in another room. I told her that what I really wanted was a card with a letter from her. Her card says: Happy Mothersday Mommy. My mom is the best mom on erth. I love my mom more then enithing in the world! Dear Mom i realy think that your trieng hard to maike us happy and its werking. I aprishiatit wen you taick us plaises and saprise us weire wier going. I think your the best mom a girl cold have. Rock on Mom! Love, Aliya.
