First Mother's Day...

It's my first Mother's Day.

Five & a half months, JJ's still kicking, I figure we gotta be doing something right, yeah?

Oh, I know I got flowers last year while I was pregnant... but it's different, somehow, now that I've actually got the kiddo in my arms and I can squeeze him.

I love his expression here, he's all like 

"Mooooom, not in front of the guys!"

I miss my mom... at least once a day I look at my son and think "HOW did she ever pull this off?" 

But I tell gotta ya, folks...

               ...my faith in humanity has been restored this week. 

First a box the size of big tv shows up on my doorstep, sent by a friend from college, stuffed full of baby clothes.  When I got them all sorted out, I realized I won't have to buy clothes for JJ until sometime next year.  I actually *have* to put him in something new every day for a while in order to use the smallest stuff before he gets too big!  

And yes, we're taking lots and lots of pictures.

Then Friday came, with D's basket of survival goodies, and once again, I bawled.  I mean messy, snotty, red-eyed sobbing, y'all.  

Then Mommyland posted the link I sent them to their Facebook page.  I didn't even see it at first, until I was all "um... why are my page views suddenly going through the roof???", and I looked, and I tell you people, my jaw hit the freaking floor.  I called a friend to do the OMG dance, and yeah, the girlie shrieking was pretty epic.  The phrase "my day just can't GET any better" was repeated several times.

Saturday I got a card from another Mother Pucker, and again I did the face down in my arms weepy thing.

B from New Jersey...  YOU so totally rock!

That afternoon, my husband came home with this little treasure.

"My Wife: A Wonderful Blessing In My Life

I'm glad

it's Mother's Day

because special days

like this

remind me

how fortunate I am

to have your love

and you...

I could not 

have been blessed

with a more wonderful wife

than you.

Happy Mother's Day

with Love

God Bless the New Mommy, Love

John

Yeah... more sniffling.   Forget a tissue, this week has run me through the whole box.

This morning... JJ decided he was NOT INTERESTED in his nap.  Little monster screamed and whined, and I finally gave up and just handed him to his father.

And then he smiled at me.  Grrr.

Little monkey has the most infectious smile.  He grins that little grin at you, and no matter how irritated you were, you cannot HELP but smile back.  

*sigh*

I give.  He wins.  

We all love the punkin!  Best Mommy-Day Prezzie ever!

Some days, "Thank You" just doesn't cover it...

Okay, so you read Mommy Blogs.  Obviously, or you wouldn't be here.  (Because seriously, it can't possibly be me, right?)  Well, if you read Mommy Blogs, then you very likely are familiar with Rants from Mommyland, the awesome, creative, kind, and ever-hilarious Happy Hookers.

The ladies at Mommyland put together a little pay-it-forward style project last Christmas, matching up mommies in need of a little help, a little love, with mommies who had it to spare.  It was such an insane success that they decided to do it again for Mother's Day, calling it the Mother Pucker Project.

I sent them an email.  I figured, hey, why not, the worst that can happen is nothing, right?

A few days went by, then a week, and I didn't hear anything back, so I figured my mail got lost in the shuffle or something, and did my best not to be disappointed.  After all, who really goes out of their way to make some total stranger happy for Mother's Day?

Well...

I was wrong.

Mea culpa.  

(For those not familiar with Latin... think "Oopsie!  My bad!!")

This morning, my mother in law handed me a package.  A darned heavy package.  I wrinkled up an eyebrow and thought "I didn't order anything!"

Then I saw the return address.

I didn't recognize the name.  

I blinked... thought... and remembered the Mother Pucker Project.  And immediately started tearing up.

I got a knife, carefully opened the box, and stick a fork in me, I was DONE.

"Mother's Survival Kit"

Each item in that basket came with a meaning attached.  They ranged from "Velcro - for when you need to get a grip" to "Bath Salts - to 'take you away'.  You deserve a quiet break."  The stuff itself?  Some cute, some useful, some entirely frivolous, but what really got me was the thought and effort that went into every little piece.  The printed sheet you see there is a copy of Don't Carpe Diem from Momastery, and it's awesome, I highly recommend that you read it.  Substitute your particular consuming occupation for motherhood and it applies to pretty darned near every walk of life.

The book... is a journal.  I gave it the title "Mother's Hideaway" in my best calligraphic hand, and this is what I wrote, with tears sliding down my face.

Today, a stranger was kind.  A stranger lifted me out of a content moment an into a moment so intensely happy that I could not stop the tears from falling.  A stranger reminded me that it's okay to not be perfect, to not get everything done, to walk away from my (FINALLY) sleeping child, curl up into a little ball, and sob with frustration and fatigue.  A stranger told me there will be better days ahead, and gave me tools for surviving the hard days that are here now.

A stranger, who will never see my face, said I was worthy of motherhood.

Fit for the journey.

Up to the task.

That I would make it.

Her name is D_____.

Some days... "Thank you" just doesn't cover it, ya know?