Obligatory mother's day post

What kind of mom would I be if I didn't do a Mother's Day post? Oh, I hear you, the kind that spends the holiday with her child, not time blogging online. Trust me, he's not awake as I write this.

However, there are those moms whose Mother's Day wish is time away from their kids. They want to go to a spa day or have a day where they don't have to act like a mom. While this sounds awesome in theory to me, I don't really get it for Mother's Day. I mean, the kids are the reason you get this day. I kind of feel like I want to be MORE of a mom.

One of my best friends, known to me for the past 20 years as BeFrie, had a great idea for her Mother's Day - all of the fun, none of the mundane responsibility. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her 13-month-old B-man but not have to wash bottles, change diapers or prepare meals. It would be truly all play and no work. She'd share in the smiles, peek-a-boos and hugs without getting dishpan hands. Sounds like a good way to celebrate motherhood. I haven't heard yet if it's worked out for her.

Mother's Day is also a time to reflect on being a mom. At least it is for me. I often wonder if I'm a good mom or the best mom that I can be. Am I right for the G-man? He deserves the ultimate. Am I living up to that? 

In the midst of self-doubt, I found this posting on FitPregnancy. Thanks to the author, Marion Winik, as I mooch a bit of her entry:

In the past 15 years, I’ve known many children raised many different ways. And I’ve seen that as long as there’s love, attention, and basic safety, hygiene and medical care, just about any way of doing it has a decent chance of working out. What gets undervalued in the quest to do everything right is the need to take some of the pressure off yourself. Even more important than the right food and the right toy is taking care of your own sanity, happiness and self-worth.
    The most important choice you can make is to choose to trust that you are the mother your baby needs. You’re going to have some bad days, and you’re going to make some mistakes, and the best thing you can do is forgive yourself and move on. Your inner peace and strength are your child’s greatest resource.
    Our babies love and trust us so much, it’s nerve-wracking. But the most obsessive, detail-oriented parenting doesn’t change the one thing that has the biggest effect on our kids: who we are. 

I'll take her advice and try my best to be me every day and if I screw up, I'll try again.

Oh, and if you are wondering how I personally celebrated Mother's Day? The closest Dunkin' Donuts is 45 minutes away. I am a DD freak! So we got out the door early on Saturday, took a little trip and wrecked that place. 8 donuts, 25 munchkins, one latte, one coffee, and get this, a muffin for the G-man because he didn't want the donut. With some help from papa, the little guy also painted a flower pot for me and made a card, plus I got cards from the cats and dog and another one from G-man. Sweet. To finish it off, on Sunday we visited my parents and nana for what is probably her last Mother's Day. I'm glad we got to spend it with her.