Mommin' It Up!

December 31, 2009December 31, 2009

If There was Ever Any Doubt…

…here’s proof that I am not a “fun mom“.

My kids don’t believe in Santa. And they never have. I never did as a child, by the time I was born, my oldest brother was almost seven years old and I think my parents were just over it.

Joshua has lots and lots of older cousins who know Santa isn’t real, and basically, I was too lazy to go into all the effort to fool him and thereby have robbed him of an element crucial to the magic of childhood.

Oh, well.

The problem is, Joshua kind of likes the idea of Santa. He knows Mommy and Daddy hook him up with presents, but he wouldn’t mind ol’ St. Nick hooking him up with a few more. A few days before Christmas he asked me hopefully, “Mommy, is Santa really not real?”

“He’s a real person who lived hundreds of years ago. His name was St. Nicholas.”

“So he’s dead?”

“Umm…yeah.”

Many of Joshua’s friends at school, including his carpool buddy Ethan, still believe. (Part of the reason he asked me that last question, I am sure, because totally, if his friends think Santa is real, he must be! Surely Mommy is just holding out on him!) So the day after we had the above conversation, we were in the car, and Joshua says, “Mommy, can I tell Ethan Santa’s dead? ‘Cause he’ll understand.”

Oops.

“NO! Do NOT tell Ethan Santa’s dead! You need to wait til his mommy & daddy decide to tell him!”

So, before we went to Christmas at our grandma’s house on Christmas Day, I had to instruct Joshua not to tell his cousin Kate that Santa is dead.

‘Cause really, Emily would KILL me. And that would have really put a damper on Christmas! And on my career as a “fun mom”.

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Totally unrelated, for a great 2009 recap of world news, check out my Uncle Paul’s blog today! Hilarious!

December 29, 2009

Say Cheese, FOR THE LOVE!

This is what happens when I try to get a picture of my children together.

This was my pre-present-opening-on-Christmas-morning photo session. THIS is why I had no Christmas card this year or last! I can’t get a good picture of them together. BLERGH!

Oh, well. They’re cute no matter what, right!??

December 7, 2009December 6, 2009

Who’s Your Mama?

mothers_day_heart

Today is my mommy’s birthday. I’ll be a lady and not tell you how old she is. Just that she only gets better with age!

I think I have probably got the best mom in the world. And I’m not just saying that because I wrote a nice post about my dad on his birthday and now I feel pressured *ahem*. As a matter of fact, I’ve said it before. Several of my 100 Things About Me are actually about my mom, such as #66 “I am not nearly as nice of a person as my mom is.” and #78 “I think my mom is the best mom in the whole world, even though – GASP – she didn’t breastfeed me or my brothers.” (Although I would like to add that she DID cloth diaper all three of us!)

My mom taught me, just by being herself, that you don’t have to fit into any category to be a “good mom”. You don’t have to stay home with your kids, work outside the home, make your own baby food, be able to french braid, co-sleep, know how to knit (thank you Lord!), or scrapbook, or buy them the hottest toy every season.

When I think about the good things about my childhood, it has nothing to do with what my mom could or could not do, or the things she did or didn’t buy me – it has everything to do with what she did – which is love me, care for me, read to me, sing to me, rub my back, come to every school event I ever had, and encourage me. When I think of my mom, I honestly cannot thing of anything negative. I can’t remember her ever making me feel bad about myself. I can’t remember every feeling that I was anything but very, very, important to her.

The thing is, there were lots of things that were important to her. Those two other dumb kids she had, for instance, and my dad, and her job, and her work in our children’s department at church. But I never felt second to anything.

I know that she doesn’t feel this way, but it would seem to me, that with my dad’s help of course, that my mom achieved that sought-after state known as “balance.” Balance seems to be a myth in this world, a buzz word, a lofty but unattainable goal. And maybe you won’t know that you’ve achieved it until 30 years later and your child is telling you what a fan-flipping-tastic job you did all those years ago.

Happy Birthday Mom! I hope it was worth the wait. 🙂