Mother's Day Gifts

It is 5 am in the morning.

The sun has just barely started its course in the sky.

I know I should go back to sleep.

I need the sleep. God KNOWS I need the sleep.

But it is, for once in my waking life, all quiet.

Undistractingly quiet.

And that is something I covet more than sleep.

Now that Noah's time in his old dysfunctional preschool has finally ended, he is with me 24-7. That's a lot of 3-year-old drama and constant stream of nonsense babbling.

All day long, if I'm not comforting a melt-down drama-king, I hear this:

Mommy,

Yes Noah?

Mommy,
Mommy,

Yes?

Mommy,
Mommy?
Mommy,

What is it?

MOMMY
MOMMY!
MOMMY!

YES?!

Mommy,
Mommy,
MOMMY!

WHAT IS IT?! I'M LISTENING!

Mommy,
Mommy, what is your favorite...
Mommy,
Mommy,

What?

Mommy, what is your favorite...
Mommy,
Mommy,

What?! Favorite WHAT?!

Mommy, I don't mean "what is your favorite Mommy". I just forgot what I was going to say.

I know, Noah.

Mommy,
Mommy,
Mommy, what is your favorite...
Mommy, what is your favorite...
kind of door?

Door?

Yeah, like is it a glass door?
Do you like glass doors?

Uh...yes. Yes I do (hoping this is the answer that will most quickly stop the noise coming out of his mouth)...

Okay

*phew*

This. This kind of non-stop prattling is why I am just now blogging about Mother's Day!

Mother's Day was wonderful!

Maybe it's because I am now a seasoned pro at "Lowering Expectations" and "Treating Holidays Like Every Other Day" and "Being Happy With No Breaks", but really, it was lovely.

The pre-festivities started with Judah presenting me with these a couple days prior (he just COULD NOT hold it in, such was his excitement):

Translation: (1) Christina (2) 36 (3) hug (4) coral (5) bubble juice [he means seltzer] (6) bacon (7) noodles (8) lay down (9) play tickle fight (10) cooking (11) I say funny things (12) me!

My favorite part of this was (a) he got all the questions right! and (b) his answer to the last question "What my mom loves best is...ME"

I don't have a lot of parenting goals but at the top of the list is "make child feel loved."

BOOM! Achieved.

This is in contrast to another kid in Judah's class - that kid answered the last question with "Books."

Which made me really want to hang out with that kid's mom cuz I got mad respect for a mom of a little kid who can actually get that much reading done.

This little gem makes my heart happy every time I see it.

It's like the opposite of a beauty/celebrity magazine.

Every time I see one of those I see a fine sheen of perfection that I am falling way way way below and the message of contrasts is clear - you are not beautiful, you are not fit, you are not accomplished in any way that the magazine would deem worthy of an article, your weeknight meals are boring, and your closets are totally disorganized.

But Judah's little card of affirmation says I am beautiful! Thoughtful! A good cook! And best of all, loved!

The actual day of Mother's Day was also filled with unexpected delights.

Noah, who had given up napping for 5 months now, took a nap!!!!!

That translates to (a) an hour of peace for me and (b) a non-cranky guy to hang out with for the rest of the day. This is huge - the non-cranky part.

When Noah is a tired crank (which is usually for the last 3 hours of his non-nap day), everything pisses him off. EVERY. THING. And the opposite of that thing too.

And we got to do my favorite thing in the entire world - take a hike in the redwood forest - with two of the loveliest people on the planet and their adorable baby (my husband's cousin's family).

And they bought me flowers! I love flowers!

And, as if that wasn't enough, the piece de resistance was still to come.

A couple days before, Judah came home with a rock that he thought was pretty much equivalent in value to the Hope Diamond.

He said he traded a sparkly crayon AND a beaded bracelet for this object (most kindergarten trades only require one trinket at most) and even then, only got the rock after much cajoling.

All day he went on and on about the amazing properties of this rock.

It has flecks of "gold" on it!

It's heart-shaped!

Isn't it amazing Mommy?! Didn't I do a good trade?!

And on Mother's Day, he gave it to me. He hadn't planned on doing that. He just got caught up in the spirit of the day.

He is my festive, loving, and loving to gift-give son.

And I am a lucky, lucky mom.