How's your second year as a mother, you ask? Here are a few highlights:
- Ahh, the joys of potty training. Waking up at 3am to the sounds of, "MOMMY, I POOPED!" over the baby monitor while Daddy sleeps blissfully on. Or cleaning up an accident at 4am while Emily decides to start her day. Racing to a public toilet and swiftly untangling tiny undies from equally tiny shorts...hanging onto a tiny body to keep it from falling in the potty...gazing down at her beaming, upturned face when she's successful. Being cheered on in the toilet to the sounds of, "Dood dirl, Mommy, YEAY!" and then having a tiny hand attempt to wipe me.
- Buying everything purple--juice, ice cream, clothes, floor wax--to satisfy a little one's craving for consistency. Finding ways to accessorize with purple ANYTHING (sunglasses, nightie--as a scarf, socks) just to get us out the door in the morning.
- Hearing The Wiggles non-stop on the tv, in the car, and at night on the stereo(singing lullabies) for two solid years until they're ringing through my skull. Finding myself humming their tunes during quiet times, and wondering what they're having for supper on the other side of the world.
- Excitedly jumping up and down in the driveway with Emily when Daddy comes home like a knight in shining armor--with a complete child's kitchen set that he spotted at a garage sale for ONLY $10!!! (True story--they retail for $200.) The purple Jasmine outfit was only $1, and she wore this "nightie" ALL DAY LONG.
So it' not all about ME, ME, ME today, since it's 8am and we've already done potty cleanup, fed and watered the dog, pulled the cat out of the bathtub (don't ask), dressed Emily in a fairy costume (her choice), and tried to explain that we missed the Wiggles show on tv by oversleeping.
Then we hear Daddy rise and quickly whisk Emily away, to return with a balloon, greeting cards that make me cry, and a lovely bracelet made of exotic sea beans.
So what's been the best part of motherhood, so far? Besides everything? I'd have to say this past Friday, when I picked Emily up from preschool. She ran out the door as she always does, wearing her purple sunglasses, shouting my name, and pulling her purple Dora backpack behind her. Only on this day she shouted "Mommy, Happy Mommy's Day!" and handed me a bouquet of paper flowers, cut in the size and shape of her little hands. Oh my darling, precious little girl. You're the best gift I could ever hope for.
Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies. Please, feel free to leave your favorite kiddie stories in the Comments section. We'd love to hear from you.
And a special Happy Mother's Day to my own Mommy...you're the best! Now I know what all that hard work was for. And I'm really sorry about Mrs. Trout's tulips.
Much Love,
Caroline
