Not that I need a day to remind myself how lucky I am to be a mom, but let's face it, sometimes we all need a little reminder of how lucky we are for all the blessings in our lives. I still am bitter that I couldn't wake up today and hug my kids and then hug my mom...what a completely wholesome feeling that would be! But at the end of the day, I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world!
My day started off missing my mom more than being thankful that I am a mom, but then again I've only been a mother for like 2 seconds compared to how long I was a daughter so I shouldn't beat myself up over that, right?! I think it's only natural that the 1st person I think of on Mother's Day is my own mother. My kids call her "Gand-ma Di-yann" and recognize her in photos. It's a little bittersweet having kids who can now say her name and point her out when they see a picture of her. Di knows she is named after her. If anything my kids were about the only two people I knew who were oblivious to our loss, and although I want them to know all about their grandparents, I realize I am opening myself up to loads of questions and confusion in the future and I just don't know that I'm ready for that. But it's a small price I'll pay for teaching my kids how TOTALLY AWESOME my parents were!
So today, after opening up the handmade gifts that the girls made me yesterday at the Chalk Walk (with the help of daddy), we decided to hit up the Louisville Zoo. The forecast quickly changed from 30% chance of rain to 60% to 100%...all in an hour's drive there! So we took a detour to the Children's Science Museum instead where they claim to have a KidZone. Ummm...we migrated from the Indianapolis Children's Museum people, so I am being nice by saying that I was extremely disappointed! I mean, what kid wants to learn about "The Life of a Log"? However, dear Lauren, shove foot in mouth. My kids loved it! Their capacity to remember the golden days of the Indianapolis Children's Museum has either expired or they are two kids easy to please! The "Bippo" (aka, hippo) was quickly forgotten and replaced by a giant bubble-making machine, and what kid doesn't love that?!
After that I was able to convince Matt to an hour (or two) of shopping at the mall while he entertained the kids. I really only wanted to make two stops: Potterybarn Kids and Von Maur. While at PBK, Matt had the girls directly outside the store so they kept running in to say hi to me, then running back out to Matt. They did this at least 15 times each...I was getting no where with my window treatment shopping, but I was desperate to make a purchase (they were on sale!) However, finally an employee came up to me and said, "Ma'am, do you have someone else watching your kids because they seem to be unattended running in and out of the store?" Even if I didn't have another eye on them, just throw me a Mother's Day bone lady and let my kids run rampant and risk being whisked away by a stranger...I had curtains to buy!
And then at Von Maur I was really hoping to do a little dress shopping for an upcoming wedding in Florida which I have online shopped for twice and failed both times. After 15 minutes of browsing, I came back downstairs empty-handed and Matt said, "You didn't buy anything?" And I said "No." And he asked "Why?" And I replied, "I couldn't concentrate because the entire time all I heard were my kids yelling as they rode the escalators up and down 100 times." Matt looked sheepish and said, "Oh crap, sorry." Reminder to self: either leave kids totally behind while shopping or take kids shopping with you but have ZERO expectations!
To Matt, Lil & Di...thanks for making this Mother's Day one of the best ones yet! Happy Mother's Day to all!
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| My sweet gifts which my kids made AND unwrapped for me: picture fame made at Miss Vicky's and canvases with their handprints made at the Chalk Walk (with love by daddy!) Flowers were to me from me. :) |
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| The girls look super enthused to be at the Science Museum instead of the zoo! |
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| Good thing there was a giant bubble machine at the entrance to turn those frowns upside down! |
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| Lil enclosed in a bubble! |
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| Next up, water table. Don't let the raincoats fool you, they still managed to get soaked head to toe! |
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| I had to capture a shot of Di's 1st french braid! |
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| Which means I couldn't pass up a photo op of sweet Lil. |
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| So in love, these two! |
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| My nightly routine...2 books and "big smackers" from my little sweethearts. "Big smackers" is a game my mom used to play with me, and I now play with my girls. |
