Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is one of those holidays. It's a holiday that makes me miss my own mother so very much. These days, it's more the ache of a phantom limb rather than the pain of a new amputation, but it's there and sets up an underlying current before the day even begins.

Add the fact that it's a day that's hyped up to be "all about mom" where dads are supposed to take the initiative and be romantic and take care of the kids and the house and shower mom with affection and well, I think alot of new mothers are dissapointed when their Mother's day turns out like every other day of the year minus a card or some flowers or brunch with their mother-in-law.

As for me, I've discovered something as my children get older. It's NOT about the romance or the "do nothing around the house" stuff (although, that's a nice perk). It's about the joy my children get in celebrating me as their mother! Teagan and Caden were totally into Mother's Day this year. They woke up early and I awoke to whispering and giggling from T's room. Shortly thereafter I was hugged and Happy Mother's Day-ed and showered in wonderful gifts. See?

Yes, my gifts DO include a self-portrait of Caden, an "All About my Mom" which describes how great I am at Mario, how much I love cake, and how I wish I never had to yell (*phew* I AM getting through, despite the fact I've been yelling entirely too much lately). It also includes home-made wrapping paper, coupons from Teagan for help around the house, a book of poetry by Teagan all mom-themed and using images searched for carefully on Google (dalmatians, guinea pigs, a puppy dressed up as Winnie the Pooh!), a card made with unicorn and bunny stickers AND 4 quarters and a trial-size shampoo. Seriously, how could any mother feel more loved?




Duncan decidedly did NOT get it but he made me presents at preschool including this sweetly painted pot and a bracelet made of macaroni and glitter. I got them at Mother's Day tea at his preschool on Thursday. He was delighted that I stayed for the first hour, although puzzled as to why and, like most of his compatriots, he was DEVASTATED when I had to leave at 9:30 to go to work. The moms left a room full of sobbing toddlers and a fine layer of blue glitter to their wonderfully brave teachers and off we all went for the rest of the day.

Macaroni bracelets like this one are worn on Mother's Day by mothers around the world to church or brunch or any special event in honour of the little hands that made us mothers in the first place. I will be very sad come the day when nobody in my house makes macaroni bracelets for me anymore!

And, in case you're wondering, I DID get a card, flowers, and chocolates from my husband and flowers from my wonderful father AND they took me out for breakfast, so it was a Mother's Day where I almost got it all.