Mommy's Day

Mother's Day was really low key. I had asked for a picnic basket and Todd got me one, and in true form, he got me the biggest picnic basket this side of the Mississippi:) So the plan was to go to Chap's for breakfast, home for the rest of the day to tinker in the yard and nap the twins, then take a picnic dinner to Manito. Charlie came down with a fever, so we had to skip Chap's {sad face}, but the kids already knew about our picnic plans so I packed dinner and we found a quiet spot on the grass under a tree and had our little meal. I figured it would be like herding cats to try and keep Charlie and his germs on the quilt with me and away from all of the play equipment and other kids at the park, but since he wasn't feeling like himself he was content to stay by my side in the shade. Mother's Day really isn't a day of pampering I've come to realize, it's really just a day to reiterate how stinking awesome we are because we actually make more work for ourselves trying to make our special day special for our kids!
I love my children so much, I've never known such pure, unconditional love. It is the greatest gift of motherhood. It's a limitless pool of love and sacrifice that, no matter how hard your children try, they will never find the edge of, or the bottom of, because it doesn't exist. That kind of love is what drives us to want to punch someone's lights out when they hurt our kids' feelings, it's what makes the endless sleepless nights tolerable, the puke not as stinky, it makes us think "cracked nipples aren't all that bad, right?" I don't know exactly what kind of transformation takes place during that magical first meeting between mama and babe, but it changes your heart and soul forever. They become like oxygen, something every cell in your body needs and craves. And once you experience the sweetness of a freshy from heaven, you can't get enough. They might as well be crack because even when you know you shouldn't have more, and have no business having more, YOU STILL WANT MORE!
To me, Motherhood is....
Digging through Rubbermaid bins to look at tiny shoes, itty bitty dresses, soft cotton newborn sleepers, just so you can bury your face in them and smell them for just a hint of their freshy scent.
 Motherhood means your memories are bittersweet ~ the beauty of their birth mingles with the pain of them growing up too fast and makes tears roll down your face.
It's knowing where every bathroom and elevator is in all the stores you go to, and how to change a diaper {or diapers in my case} just about any where, any time.
It means knowing which coffee stand won't look at you cross eyed when you ask for one small smoothie and 3 extra cups, and lids, and straws...
It means getting excited about splurging on the really yummy, not-so-cheap hand soap.
Motherhood means that the Costco bill for the photo lab is just about as much as the bill for Costco groceries.
Motherhood is having your worst flaws and imperfections exposed and posted on a bill board. That bill board for me is named Ella Grace.
It's not remembering what a good night's sleep feels like, yet not being all that upset that someone needs to snuggle in bed with you at night.
Motherhood means vacations with the kids aren't relaxing for your body, but vacations without the kids means your mind never relaxes.
It means never knowing if you're doing it right, and being pretty sure you aren't. It's exhaustion like you've never felt, worry like you've never felt, and joy like you've never felt.
It's thinking your child has bone cancer every time their leg hurts. It's holding your breath while they're on top of the monkey bars, it's saying everything will be ok even when you don't know if it will.
Motherhood means you get why they call you "Mama Bear." Grizz would be a good nick name for me;)
It's wanting to make cookies when you're dead on your feet just so the house smells good and just so you can watch their faces light up when they get to have one with a cold glass of milk, even though they already had a treat.