I wrote this post two years ago but I still feel exactly the same way.
"All women become like their mothers.
That is their tragedy.
No man does.
That is his."
- Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
Each year that goes by, I feel like I'm turning more and more into my mother. If you know my mom, you would understand why I feel like I'm bragging when I say that. My mom is beautiful, sweet, smart and completely devoted to her family. I know I'm not as beautiful and certainly not as sweet as she is but I hope that I have inherited some of her mothering abilities.
So much of the time, I feel like the good-enough mom. I don't do crafts with my kids, I don't read Parenting magazine (I can't stand it!) and I never make food into funny shapes. I rarely get down on the floor and play with my kids, I haul them to the mall too much and buy them soft pretzels to keep them happy. I yell too much.
But you know what? My mom never made crafts with us either. She dragged us to the mall and she even yelled at us now and then. But she is the best mom in the world because I knew how much she loved me. She took me shopping by myself (I have no idea where my siblings were) and bought me Girbaud jeans because they were in style and I had to have them. She let me stay home from school even when she knew I wasn't sick because I didn't have my homework done. She stayed up late helping me to make the coolest Valentines box or the most scary pumpkin for the Halloween contest. She was always coming to school in her sweaty work-out clothes to bring me my lunch or my homework that I forgot. She took me with her and her friends to see concerts like Michael Bolton and Stevie Wonder!
Remember that scene in the Ya Ya Sisterhood, where the little girl chickens out and doesn't ride in the plane when all the other kids are doing it? Then later in the day, after they have come home, the little girl decides she just has to ride in the plane. Her mom drives her back to where the plane is. She has to beg and plead and pay the pilot to take her daughter back up again. I cry everytime I watch that part of the movie because it reminds me of my mom. She constantly did stuff like that for us.
The one thing I do everyday is tell my kids that I love them and kiss and hug and snuggle them. I'm lucky--because I have four kids who all love to snuggle with me. They know I love them and really, that is all I care about.
Happy Mother's Day Mom! You taught me what really matters when it comes to being a mom. You're the best and I hope your day is perfect!
8 comments:
Your mom is great--I looked up to her too! I think you are and Ashley are as wonderful as she it--fun, spunky, energentic, and always up for fun! And you are devoted mothers as well--devoted means different things to different people--but if your kids know they are loved, I call that devoted!
Your Mum sounds like a true mother... just always doing the best for her kids with huge amounts of love thrown in. Sounds like you too!
This was a beautiful Mothers day tribute to your Mum and I am very very sure she is as proud to have you as a daughter as you are to have her as a Mum.
PS As far as being a "good" mum... my sister and I said yesterday that it really wasn't Mothers Day until we both screamed at our kids...
This is so Mom! It makes me both laugh and cry. Thanks Missy for comparing me to my Mom. It's a stretch--my mom is the most energetic, always working person I know--and I am soooo lazy--but thanks for the compliment!
Whoa - I didn't expect this - again!! But THANK YOU Brooke!! Made my Mother's Day! And Elizabeth - I AM so proud of my daughters - and daughters-in-law!! They all have outdone me in the mom (mum) department!! And thanks, Missy & Ash!
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Muitos afirmam que depois que a
juventude vai embora as pessoas
voltam a ser criança. Eu até
entendo a colocação, mas com a
minha mãe a coisa não acontece
desse jeito; ela ficou mais
bonita. A pele mudou do cetim à
seda pura e nos olhos abre-se uma
luz de festa e esperança. Minha
mãe está mais centrada do que já
era. Transmite overdoses de amor
e é a minha mãe, além de todas
as qualidades. Portanto, que me
perdoem os estudiosos, mas de
jovem a minha mãe nunca deixará
de ser...
silvioafonso
Gostei muito de escrever aqui,
por isso vou seguir você.
.
It's funny to think about the traits we pick up from our mom. Mine is that I will stay up all night, if needed, to get something done, either because I have a deadline or just get totally engrossed. More recently, though, sleep has been winning out. :)When I was in school, My mom would stay up all night just to finish sewing a prom dress for me. I didn't appreciate her sacrifice fully until I got older. My mom is determined and a perfectionist--it may take the rest of my life to get over the perfectionist trait. It's a curse!
As for the love, hugs, and snuggles--take them while you can get them! My son, who is now 19, used to wake up every morning when he was about 5 years old and greet me with sunshine in his eyes before running off to play, "Good Morning Mommy!" He would give me a kiss every morning. I didn't always love being woken up so early but I knew I would miss those sweet moments. That lasted for a few years and I miss that vibrant, spunky child. Last night, my daughter gave me a "Mother's Day Kiss" and I tried to milk it with this older son. He just blushed when I told him he couldn't leave until he gave me a kiss too. It was funny. After a few moments, I told him I'd settle for a 10 second shoulder massage. haha. He took that offer--so it was a win-win for both of us! As he started, I counted super-slow, 1---2---------3--------------4...haha! It was great! He is the best! I started training him to give shoulder massages when he was little and even gave him incentives later by paying him $. Over the years, that's what I'll request of him for my birthday. :) So, I absolutely love your foot massage idea. I tried that method with the shoulder massages but pretty soon Jared just won out and I only wanted him to do it. haha!Fun times! Hope you had a great Mother's Day yesterday!!
Love the post, and love your mom. What's up with the comment in espanol? I guess you've always been one to draw the international stalkers?! :-)
It's so nice she lives close by and you can see her all the time and that she is such a part of your kids' lives.
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