Motherhood

 Jack turned 7 last week.  Seven!  Wow.  Aside from panic and angst at my little guy growing up, I was also struck by the silliness of birthday celebrations.  What exactly did Jack do to deserve this celebration?  He didn't bare himself.  Birthdays are really backwards, aren't they?  That's the day each person should thank their mother for giving them life.  At least that's how I see it.

In the same way, I guess Mother's Day is the day we should honor those who've made us mothers.  So...here they are, the people I should really be celebrating on Mother's Day.  The people who made me a mother.

 Merr.  Oh, how little I knew almost 11 years ago when I became her mother!  She's the one who started it all.  She is the one who forges the path for all of the other kids.  Sadly, I will probably make the most mistakes with her.  Luckily, she's tough.  Tough and smart and beautiful inside and out.  It's terrifying to me that she is going into the scary years of puberty and teenage-hood.  She'll help me figure it out, though.

Joel.  Oh, the trial by fire this guy has been!  If you can parent a kid like Joel, you can parent anyone! (Or at least that's what I've told myself every day of his life)  Joel is SO hard and SO rewarding.  He has a super strong personality.  Someday that personality of his is going to serve him well.  In the meantime,  I adore him and all his strong willed quirks.

Poor Jack.  Middle child syndrome has hit him hard.  He follows me around whimpering for attention.  He is a huge pleaser and a serious peacemaker.  I am so grateful to have this little guy.  Luckily, he won't let me forget he's around and he wants to be loved so much.  How could I refuse?

Norah.  Answer me this:  How did a person with my genes end up with such a BEAUTIFUL child?  Seriously.  But more importantly, she's kind and giving.  She shares and loves and is learning so much.  She adds such a fun layer of personality to the mix.  I can't wait to see who Norah grows up to be.  I just know she's going to be amazing.

Hazie.  I've never met a 10-month-old with such a great sense of humor.  Or any sense of humor, really.  She makes hilarious mad, sad, angry faces at me and then laughs her head off.  She is clingy, but I've learned to appreciate how much I get to hold this sweet little doll.  What if she's my last baby?  I want every last second to be spent with her in my arms.  

I love these little guys so much.  How did I get so lucky to be their Mom?  

And, of course, how did I get so lucky as to have this amazing lady to be my Mom?

My Mom is constantly surprising me with who she is and what she can do.  She is always re-inventing herself to adapt to different situations.  She's not afraid of new adventures and never shies away from hard work.  Love you, Mom!