Mother's Day is Every Day

It's true. I am a mother every day, no vacations. Every day, my kids give me precious moments and infuriating moments. Every day, they treat me like the most important person in the world, and like their personal servant. They are at those special ages where they need me almost every waking minute, which both fills my heart and runs me ragged. I'm trying to spend more time enjoying this phase of motherhood lately. Because in a few years, I'll be the one begging for their attention.

 This was my first Mother's Day with three children. It was also my first Mother's Day with a daughter. I have never felt so busy or so needed or so exhausted as a mother. I'm not sure if that makes the day more special, but it does make me want to take longer naps.

Here is the dreamboat who made me a mother:

Josh made me this cute card, bracelet, and recipe book in Kindergarten. All the kids wrote down their moms' best recipes from memory, which resulted in some pretty funny instructions. Josh wasn't too far off with his, though.

Matt got me some gold-leaf coated playing cards with a special case. Where I'll use them, I don't know quite yet, but they're fancy.

We ate dinner on the patio, complete with my favorite cocktails (grape juice and Fresca). Matt had made a new salad recipe that I chose, but it turned out to be weird and overwhelmingly fennel-filled. Good thing it's the thought that counts and not the taste.

We've been working to make our boys more brave outside. For some reason, this spring they decided that bugs of any size were the scariest things in the world, and would rather stay inside always and forever. Fortunately they've gotten much better since then, but here's a look at what we were dealing with back in May.

 

There are few things in life better than making your kids laugh. My children are not perfect, but they're cute, funny, and mostly sweet. When they're not sweet, they make up for it with the BEST hugs. They usually like me, and we get enough pictures to remember the great moments. What more can a mother ask for? Life is good.