Wishes for Today
oday was my second Mother’s Day as a mother. Last year at this time, everything was so new. New baby, new routine, new schedules, new phase of my life. But today, today I got to reflect at how much my life has changed now that I’ve got the added title of “mom” in my resume.
No Meira, I haven’t had a radical phase shift in my brain to make me decide to give up my hard-charging careerist bent. But there are so many small things in me that have altered/changed/shifted in some subtle and some not-so-subtle ways.
Take for example, the tissues and wipes. I now have tissues and wipes at the ready for the slightest booger or grime emergency. That’s a reflex that I never had before. I hear that moist sneeze and my hand is already reaching for the tissue. This is a new mom response. I also notice that when I’m around other mothers, the same sneeze will elicit the same automatic tissue reach. It’s almost Pavlovian.
I’ve also noticed the automatic, she’s first response that I’ve developed over the past year. Now obviously Zizi comes first for both AdoringHusband and me, but when we go out to eat, like at our friendly neighborhood IHOP, for example, I don’t even think about taking a bite of my food before getting her settled in with her bits of scrambled egg, sausage and pancake. AdoringHusband, on the other hand, seems to have the every man for himself approach. “Uh honey, you want to stop shoveling in that Big Steak Omelette long enough to give Zizi something to eat?” Ah heck, why bother saying it? It’s just something that I do now. She’s first. I’m second. (And if you ever see AdoringHusband, you might want to refresh his memory about how things should be ordered!)
There are just so many more little things, like continuing to listen to Buzz Buzz and Snack Time even when she’s not in the car, because it makes you remember her bopping and laughing to the songs. Or the way you hang out in Baby Gap, Janie & Jack, Gymboree and The Children’s Place and just don’t even feel like stepping in old haunts like Ann Taylor, J. Jill and Talbots. Even your shoe whoredom now relates to Ecco Kids, Umi Kids and Primigi. So very different.
Sure there are still times when I have some nostalgia for the days pre-Zara, when I could sleep if I felt like sleeping, go to the movies at the drop of a hat, and have a living room not decorated in brightly colored plastic. But who am I kidding? Without Z, the sun would just go out of my world. AdoringHusband? Some days I’d just smack him upside the head just as soon as look at him, but the Z-monster? That’s my heart.
And all of this typical Liana long-windedness brings me to my wish for today. For those who are already mothers, even those like me, the Teleflora non-mom moms (OK, I know that they changed it but I couldn’t resist) I hope that today was a day of gratitude…gratitude for your blessing of your child(ren) and your family’s gratitude for all you do as mother.
For my sisters still on the path to motherhood, I wish you strength, tenacity, and insight to forge the road that is best for you.
And for those sisters who have been through it, and have chosen to live childfree, I hope the Hallmark schlockyness of the day was not as nauseatingly horrific as I know it can be. I wish you peace.
Lastly, to my dear husband, for you I wish the understanding that Mother’s Day is designed to give Mom a respite from many of her daily tasks. This is not accomplished by your playing with your new Wii while I do laundry, wash dishes and clean up. And don’t even think about uttering “pizza” ever again when I inquire about the plans for my Mother’s Day dinner.
Harrumph. Wait until Father’s Day.
Yesterday I thought of you Liana and was hoping that you were have a great 2nd mothers day as Zara mom. I “think” you did?
Yesterday I thought of you Liana and was hoping that you were having a great 2nd mothers day as Zara mom. I “think” you did?
That was LOVELY! Thank you.
I think you should celebrate Father’s Day by giving AH a day with his lovely daughter – one on one time – and you should go to a spa!
Sweet wishes on Mother’s Day…