I'm never going to be that mom that has it totally together. I don't or can't even appear to have it all together. I will let your room end up looking like this until I can't stand it anymore.
And in a fit of pique (or the fact that the County might've put yellow tape across the doorway condemning your room) I will help you clean it up.
I won't be the greatest decorator in the world. As a matter of fact, I'll probably forget that I was supposed to sew you curtains for six months and then wait until we've bought a new comforter for your bed and then decide to sew them.
I'll wait till the last minute to buy your school supplies.
I will also stay up till midnight the day before your birthday baking treats for you to take to school. Or buy them somewhere the morning of.
I'm never going to be Betty Crocker or Suzy Homemaker.
If you run out of clean underwear, don't blame me. I showed you how to use the washer and/or the dryer.
I won't watch that stupid youtube video that you wanna show me. Seriously, after the 87th time, there's only so many times I can watch a cat and/or dog chasing it's tail or watching grown people light their farts.
But, this I promise, I will do:
1. If someone breaks your heart, I will try very hard not to want to break their knee caps (but when you aren't looking I will send Jude to find them).
2. I promise to listen to your dreams, hopes, and wishes without bias or laughter.
3. I promise to hold your hand during the scary part of the movie and not tell a soul.
4. I promise to clean up your scrapes, bumps and bruises with as little pain as I can possibly muster while putting on peroxide and neosporin.
5. I promise that when you're sick, I will buy the more expensive soup with the actual stars in them.
6. I promise to be honest with you and let you know when I'm scared, too.
7. I promise to always love you (but to keep it real, there's gonna be times when I may not always like you...and I'll be sure to let you know when those moments are).
8. I promise to listen to you when you're frustrated with me and to see if we can come to some sort of logical compromise....after I've sent you to your room and calmed down enough to see straight.
9. I promise to sing and dance with you and be absolutely silly (which, let's be honest, is the permanent state of Chez Fleming. We are nothing if not ridic most of the time).
10. I promise to embarrass you by kissing your dad and saying I love him. (and one day when you're married and have kids of your own...you'll see why this is cool)
11. I promise to yell the loudest at your game/meets/recitals/solo competitions/etc.
Why? Because I'm that mom.
Gawl I LOVE you personal posts <3
ReplyDeleteTHANKS, PAL!!!! <3!!!!!!!!!
DeleteI loved this post and it was so helpful today as I embark on a "Vince Weekend" :) Thanks for nudging me toward it and allowing me a place to put my own little version. You're a cool-ass mom, you!
ReplyDeleteI will never be the mom who plans weekends full of enriching activities, or who limits your “screen time” to one hour a day. I will never be the mom who prepares well-balanced meals from scratch and makes you eat them whether you like it or not. I will never be the mom who changes sheets once a week, or scrubs the bathtub until it sparkles before you put your dirty feet in it. I will never be the mom who is cheerful and calm after a day of grocery shopping, laundry, three hours at the beach, fixing dinner, shaking out shoes and swimsuits, sweeping up sand, doing dishes, drawing a bath, setting out jammies, etc.
I WILL be the mom who lets the neighbor kids run around the house for five hours (and even fix them lunch). I will be the mom who answers all your questions honestly (except any that have to do with Santa—I’m not ready for that yet). I will be the mom who lets you stay up 10 more minutes because I want 10 more minutes cuddling with you before storytime, and I will be the mom who slides in next to you at midnight just to watch you sleep. I will be the mom who lets you listen to inappropriate songs because we both like them, and, like today, I will be the mom who uses her half-hour lunch to run home and get your DS and a snack so you won’t be bored and hungry on our trip to Nana and Papa’s tonight.
Yes, I’m the mom who’s a little too grumpy, a little too lenient, a little too emotional, a little too weird, a little too honest, a little too impatient, a little too tired, and a little too soft. Being your mother doesn’t look like a babyfood commercial or a Parenting magazine cover. It looks like sand in your shoes and dirty feet, sweaty hugs and messy kisses, heartbreaking tears and tearful smiles, heavy sighs and silly giggles, slammed doors and off-key singing, “knock it off!” and “I love you.” This, my boy, is what being a mother—no, being human--looks like. I’m showing you so you can know: It’s okay if you’re human too.
You know how very much I loved all of this as I told you shortly after I read it. ;) But this, still touches my heart:
Delete"Yes, I’m the mom who’s a little too grumpy, a little too lenient, a little too emotional, a little too weird, a little too honest, a little too impatient, a little too tired, and a little too soft. Being your mother doesn’t look like a babyfood commercial or a Parenting magazine cover. It looks like sand in your shoes and dirty feet, sweaty hugs and messy kisses, heartbreaking tears and tearful smiles, heavy sighs and silly giggles, slammed doors and off-key singing, “knock it off!” and “I love you.” "
Love love love looooooove it! <3