I was tagged by funny supermom Hallie to generate a list of 26 facts about myself using the alphabet, but since A) I’m not THAT interesting and B) ABCs seem to be representative of my parenting life, I thought I would give you the motherhood edition of ABCs.
Do I get to count A and B from my first paragraph? No? Okay, then.
Henry & Will in June 2007. Last time I got them in the same frame, I think.
My ABCs of motherhood
A is for apple, of course. Haven’t you read ANY alphabet books? Apples are an essential tool in my mothering toolbelt, since I can get Henry to sit in his high chair and gnaw on a peeled apple for a good 20 minutes while I do frivolous things like unload the dishwasher and make dinner. When I hear a thunk and “Uh-oh! Ap-oool!” I know my time is up. And then I have to pick that slimy ball of half-gnawed fruit pulp off the floor. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the floor was, you know, pristine.
B is for bath. Where two dirty boys splash and play and laugh and emerge as slippery, sweet-smelling boys ready for their cozy pajamas. Also, mama’s oasis some nights.
C is for counting, as in “Mom, I counted to eleven-forty-three!” Or alternately, “I’m going to count to three! One, two…” Does anyone ever GET to three?
D is for do you think there will ever be a day when I walk across the kitchen floor without tripping on a toy?
E is for eating, something neither of my children really do, at least at mealtimes. I am sure someday I will look back on this time and laugh as my teenage boys scrounge for food, but for now, I really wish they would EAT something!
F is for Froggy, Will’s in utero nickname, bestowed upon him by his then five-year-old friend Lydia. He has an impressive frog collection to show for it.
G is for “Go!”—one of Henry’s favorite words these days. Whenever we seem to be making a movement towards the door (jackets and shoes appear, diaper bag comes out) he starts running around saying, ” ‘kay, GO!”
H is for my sweet baby Henry who is my hero for weathering the dark storm of his early days. I love you with every bit of my being, and cheer all your daily successes, which are all the sweeter given where you started from.
I is for ice cream and incentives, two things that went hand in hand with Will’s potty training. Whatever works, I say.
J is for the “Just a…” books by Mercer Mayer, favorites in our house.
K is for “Don’t KICK your brother!”
L is for love, love, love my mama job, even if it is sometimes 100% harder than my office job.
M is for “maybe tomorrow,” which feels like my default response some days.
N is for delicious newborns who keep us up at night and have leaky diapers, but enchant us with their addictive baby scent and tiny parts and ensure the future of the human race with their exquisite sweetness.
O is for online, you know THE INTERNET. Something this parent could never do without.
P is for parenting partner. I am so lucky that my boys have a wonderful, loving involved father who would be a better stay-at-home parent than I would be!
Q is for quail, of course. See any alphabet book.
R is for running me ragged, something these two boys are so good at!
S is for smiles, because those sweet childish smiles are reason to LIVE. Nothing like them.
T is for “whoa, Nellie, are we done with this TEETHING thing yet?” Henry is getting through the teething thing much better these days, and is sleeping through the night again. He was on thin ice for a few days, I’ll tell you that!
U is for ultrasound, one of the most exciting events in a pregnant lady’s life. (That, and the pint of ice cream in the freezer.)
V is for the toddler and preschooler point of VIEW. They can make us crazy with their lack of common sense (“traffic? Fun!”) and amaze us with their ability to learn and explore—who knew how fun it could be to pretend your breast pump is a gas station? There is nothing like getting down on the floor and seeing the world through the eyes of these little beings.
W for my beloved first-born William, with the deep, soulful eyes that can make me tear up just looking into them. When you were born I discovered it is possible to love someone with all your heart even before knowing them. Or maybe I just knew you all along.
X is for all the chest x-rays Henry had as a newborn. May you never need another, baby boy!
Y is for “Why, Mommy?”— a question I hear 400 times a day.
Z is for every mom’s emergency dinner, piZZa!
So there you have it. I tag Casey at Moosh in Indy and Christina at Momology, if you so desire to show us YOUR ABCs!
Hank & Willie 