10 Questions

Happy Belated Mother's Day everyone! I hope yours was better than mine. I guess I shouldn't say that, it wasn't all bad really, at least when the Mother's Day Weekend is looked at in its entirety. Friday my husband arranged for a sitter so that we could have "day date", which after after numerous drops in the suggestion box, I was thrilled to finally get to do. Normally any time I am allowed out during actual waking hours, either my husband or my mother is sitting at home with a stopwatch while I am running around stressing over needing to be gone. Not this time. I lapped up a leisurely lunch at Jasper's in Plano, with alcohol and dessert, and browsed through shops, unhurriedly trying on the seasons latest offerings. Ah, the joys of childcare. Saturday evening Josephine (3) left with my mother to have a sleepover, leaving us 1 child lighter. To maximize that opportunity we headed out to our favorite happinin spot for a great dinner at Taco Diner (with me sporting some of my new digs of course) followed by overpriced and completely fabulous ice cream cones at Milwaukee Joes. It so happened that there was a benefit going on in the Square that night, complete with a standard (and quite good) classic rock cover band, and other children to play with (YAY!). I became the resident mother of the grassy knoll, spending the next hour and a half playing various combinations of freeze tag and football with the 8 and under set, while their parents fretted away on there Blackberrys, completely missing the moment. That's OK... More joy for me.

Sunday morning, after getting an absolutely glorious night sleep (an astonishing feat in and of itself), I awaken to a wet and clammy spot encroaching on my hind quarters. It starts. Daddy decided to take off Samuel's diaper because, what do you know, it was still dry when he came in this morning (WTF?). Not even out of bed yet before my mother calls to let me know that she and Josephine are already on their way over (double WTF?), and Wes is telling me that he feels like a ton of bricks and I can sense that he is annoyed by being awake already. Sigh. Well, "I still feel great right?" I tell myself. As I begin removing soiled sheets from my bed, in walks my mother and and the usual eruptions of "MUMSIE!!!!!!" from Isabella and Samuel, as well as the added excitement of JoJo running in for me yelling "HAPPY MOTHER DAY!!!!" and her promptly unwrapping my gifts. Isabella is now trying to rope Mumsie into taking her to Target so that she can purchase a gift for me with her own money, which normally Daddy would be doing but is clearly not in the mood to do. I quickly struck down this plan, as Mumsie's car only seats two, and I sensed the impending conflict with Josephine being consequently left behind. Bad choice. Now Isabella is upset and crying and my mother and I begin to argue. It is about this time Wes pops his head in the room, leaning on the doorway with only boxer shorts and hair befitting a Nick Nolte mug shot, to offer the obligatory "Is there anything you want me to do?" Ah, well at least comic relief counts for something. After a few more minutes of this brewing irritation, confusion, and pandemonium, I snap, utter a few choice words not suitable for a G rating, and my mother leaves. Oh, and did I mention the we woke up with our A/C out as well?

Just when I think things can't be more bleak, I hear screams erupt from the kitchen sincere enough to stir even Wes. I run in to find Josephine on the floor bleeding from the back of her head. Quickly assessing the situation I see that she had been standing on the counter and trying to reach the candy dish on top of the refrigerator before falling off, and the base of the blender on top of her. I thought she needed to get stitches, Wes insisted she only needed a dab of Neosporin and time to heal up. Uhg. Nothing like a little blunt force trauma to wrap up a holiday.

The following is something that I had saved from a magazine several years ago, and for whatever reason, have never taken the time to assemble in a personal letter to my mother and grandmother. I finally have and am awaiting the answers... It is a list worth sharing, with hopefully much wisdom gained in the process, and minimal emotional scaring. ;)


Ten Questions to Ask Your Mother

1. What's the one thing you would have done differently as a mom?

2. Why did you choose to be with my father?

3. In what ways do you think I am like you? And not like you?

4. Which one of us children did you feel closest too?

5. Is there anything you have ever wanted to tell me but never have?

6. Do you think it is easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising your family?

7. Is there anything you regret not having asked YOUR parents?

8. What's the best thing I can do for you right now?

9. Is there anything you wish had been different between us- or that you would still like to change?

10. When did you realize you were no longer a child?