In defense of controlling

Yesterday might have been the best mother's day I will ever have. I think the holiday is a great one, an excuse for a reprieve from co-parenting to just bask in the wonderfulness of your child(ren) and to be pampered by your spouse (and I assume, eventually, by your kids). Unlike Valentines day, which I loathe, it's all about honoring and celebrating a part of the population that everyone can relate to on some level for the work, love and dedication that goes into the job. Unlike birthdays, which I am pretty ambivalent about, the day celebrates something bigger and more important than just myself. And perhaps most importantly, it's not about presents (usually), but rather showing appreciation and love.

I love going out on Mother's day and having people everywhere say "Happy Mother's Day" to me with a smile because I know they're thinking of someone in their life that meant a lot to them. I love spending quality time with my son and not having it tainted by the possibility that I'll have to deal with tantrums or cleaning up messes. I love having an excuse to do whatever I want for the entire day. And I also appreciate that it reminds me to comfort cousins and friends who have lost their mothers and friends who have lost their children.

Since this was my third mother's day, I had learned a thing or two about what to expect. Someone (older and wiser than me) told me that every husband wants to do something special for their wife, but they usually have no clue how to make her feel special. Therefore, it's important to plan it out and be very specific about what you want. This is exactly what I did and I have to say, being a control freak worked well to my advantage.

Saturday, we all went down to visit my mom and brothers at the lake by her house and we had a fantastic time. Picnic in the shade followed by lots of sand castle building and water splashing.

On Sunday, Timmy slept in until 7 instead of bursting into my room at 5:45, ready to play. PJO occupied him so I could sleep in and then Timmy delivered "Mommy coffee" (starbucks) to me, watching intently as I took a sip to make sure it was satisfactory. I got cards from PJO and one from Timmy and #2. Then I took a long shower and leisurely got ready before we went to get breakfast at the farmer's market. We sat on the lawn, eating our pancakes and omelets while listening to a band and talking to other families near us. Before we left, Timmy went on the pony rides and we bought some delicious fruit.

When we headed back home, Timmy took a nap and I went out for some alone time. I got a pedicure, read a book in the sun, and went shopping (including a trip to the container store!). I got home just in time to snuggle with Timmy for a few minutes before he woke up, happy as could be. We finished the afternoon with a trip to the park to feed baby ducks and dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant where I tried the chicken mole tamales (MMMM).

Really, it would have been beyond perfection if I could have watched a movie on the couch with PJO last night instead of working, but I won't complain!

Being a mother is a decidedly un-glamorous job. Fulfilling and amazing, but definitely not glamorous. It's wonderful to be treated like a queen (by everyone, not just your own family) one day out of the year and to share it with all the other mothers out there. I hope everyone else had a great mother's day too!