Mother's Day As A Single Parent

Mikey is still too little to really understand mother's day and thankfully he has not yet tried to make me breakfast in bed as I would need to spend the rest of the day cleaning up the mess that had been made (never mind the fact that as he was making it, he would inevitably find something he wanted to eat and plop himself down on the floor to have a feast)!  Mikey isn't even yet at the point that he would know to sneak the mother's day gifts lovingly made at school out of his bag and hide them somewhere in his room so that he could surprise me on the morning of Mother's Day.  I have no DH or other children to come up with any great surprises for mothers day but I do have a lot of very dear and wonderful friends who go out of their way to try to make this a special day for me knowing that I'm a single mom.  And although their efforts are greatly appreciated, they are not the greatest gifts that I get.

This morning, Mikey came in to my room bright and early to awaken me to what to him is obviously another day full of exploration, playing and excitement.  I did not get to sleep in but instead I was greeted by the most precious smile and the precious sign for "wake-up" as Mikey bounded in to my bed ready to jump all over me and play a rousing game of tickle!

This morning, after we had played in bed for a while, Mikey signed "eat" and bouned out of the bed and into the kitchen like a lightning flash.  I made my way slowly behind him, still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and stretching from a wonderful (and perhaps a little too short) sleep.  When I came in to the kitchen, Mikey already had a chair pulled up to the counter so that he could "help" me make the toast he so adores for breakfast.  I did not get breakfast in bed... instead I got a mess on the counter as Mr. Independent tried to butter his own toast.  Then we sat down to eat breakfast and Mikey started in on his "yum-yum-yum" routine (rubbing his tummy in an exagerated motion and smiling to the bottom of his toes) and I once again marvelled at the fact that he would do this over a couple pieces of toasted bread that to me just don't seem all that special.  And I enjoyed my toast sitting beside him lighting up the world around him more then I would have enjoyed the most elegant breakfast in bed!

This morning, after breakfast, Mikey wanted to go outside, play with his train and color in his books and he wanted me to join in this fun rather then allowing me to just sit with a cup of tea and relax.  After playing together for some time, Mikey made his way downstairs to play by himself for a while and I finally got a minute to rush around upstairs putting away breakfast dishes, and striaghtening up the house from the whirlwind of our morning play.  I was interupted by a loud crash and then Mikey started crying.  I ran downstairs to discover that Mikey narrowly escaped the TV falling on top of him as he pulled it down (it was bolted down but it must have been lose :().  I sat with him for a while and calmed him from the shock and once again I was humbled by how holding him in my arms calms him and how he relies on me to make all the hurts stop.  Once he was settled again, I returned upstairs to finish my tasks.  Then just as I had finished straightening up the living room, Mikey came up like the whirlwind that he is and promptly took out several new toys and quickly the room looked like I had done nothing with it.  Nobody cleaned up for me.  Nobody kept him calm for me.  Nobody entertained him.  If in your mind this is a sad and horrid picture, then perhaps I am painting it with the wrong brush because to me it was beautiful and wonderful and pure and everything that I ever dreamed of and more when I started on this adoption journey!

To me, there is no greater gift then be in a house filled with the energy of a 6 year old and to experience everyday his lust for life.  There is nothing more inspiring then to watch him move through his day with confidence and a sense of wonder.  It continually renews me and that is the greastest mother's day gift that I could ever recieve.  And the beauty of it is that I don't just get it today... but that I get it every single day of every single year!

What an amazing gift!

Comments

[Katrina]

awww...you are going to make me cry;) Sounds like a wonderful day!:)

[Lisa]

Mon, I am so glad that Mikey made you a Mommy :) and what a fabulous Mommy you are, to such a precious, perfect little boy.

Happy Mothers Day my dear friend :)
Lisa

[Jan]

I love it, and both of you! Happy Mothers Day

from the mom of one whirlwind to another!

Jan and Nash 4

[Monica]

Hey Jan! Great to see you here :). I loved your mother's day video. Nash is just way too cute.