Monday Muse

Grandmother:  HELP!!!!  Where's the manual??  I became a mom in the 50's:  no computer, no telephone, no books!  There in my arms was a perfect baby girl...what was I to do? After seven days in the hospital I went home where there was just myself and my husband and this small human being.  What a challenge!!!  She looked so small in the bassinet and my heart was filled with wonderment.   What comes next?

I think becoming a mother is filled with days of trial and error; nothing is easy.  As I look back on those early mothering days I realize I found my inner self and did grow to cope with many different joys and crises as I bumped along the road of "Motherhood".

I am proud of my accomplishments as mother to my three children helping them grow into adulthood.  The joy they bring is overwhelming as I share in their lives.  The good memories erase the bad ones.  I am proud to be their mother.

Mom:  Being a mother is one of the hardest jobs there is! When my son was in 3rd grade, he came home from school one day with a serious expression on his face. He asked me, "Mom, what does gay mean?" GULP! My mind raced through several answers, click...no not that one...click...maybe that one...click...ok that one.

Feeling rather proud of myself that I had dodged a bullet, I said, "Well, gay is another word to describe happy." YESSSS, High Five!! Uhhhh wait...oh, oh. The look on my son's face told me that was not going to cut it! RATS!

He cocked his head and said, "No, I don't think that is what was meant, because one kid called the other one gay, and that kid wasn't happy!"

Yikes! OK Time to get honest. I said, "Well gay can also be used when two guys love each other."

"Oh!" said my son, "Well then I am gay."

WHAT?! Wait, no! Uhhh, I mean, "Honey, why do you say that?"

"Because I'm a boy and Dad's a boy and we love each other!"

Oh, oh...my brain went into high gear...let's see...hmmm..."Well, honey that doesn't mean you are gay, because it is when two guys who aren't related love each other."

"Oh!" and that was the end of that. My son went off to do something while I collapsed onto a chair, panting.

Yup it sure isn't easy being a mom!

Daughter:  I'm new to this whole motherhood thing, so I have a lot to learn.  But it's amazing what I've picked up over the last seven weeks.  For instance, just the other day I was standing on one foot putting on make-up while the other foot was rocking my son in his carseat. Talk about being multi-talented!  And today I really needed to pick up around our place but Talinn just wouldn't have it.  He wanted constant attention.  So I decided to carry a silver rattle (that I got from my friends) around in my hand while I was making the bed, swiffering the floors and doing the dishes.  It worked.  As long as he heard that rattle, he was happy.  And some nights I lay with my arm draped over the side of the bed while Talinn sleeps in his carseat, so that I can get a few z's.  If he fusses, my arm instinctively rocks him in the carseat.  Motherhood is about being creative, finding new ways to keep your baby quiet and happy.

Aside from the sleepless nights and the difficulty in doing simple tasks like dishes, laundry and showering, I am absolutely head over heels in love with my little boy.  Some days I just sit and watch him.  He can entertain me for hours with his little expressions from his serious furrowed brow to his toothless little smile.  There is nothing like motherhood.  You just fall in love with your child and you forget about how difficult things are and you are just happy.