Monday, May 10, 2010

Mother's Day 2010

Dear Hazel,
Sunday was my very first Mother's Day... and unfortunately, your Daddy was up all night Saturday night throwing up. So, it was basically just you and me all day. Which is what Mother's Day is all about, right? I got to spend time with the person who made me a Mother!!!


You are finally starting to feel better from your latest bout of day-care-assisted-illness. This one included conjunctivitis, an ear infection, and a cough that just won't quit. Nothing that a round of antibiotics that make your poop turn bright red... like a tomato that drank fruit punch and ate a Christmas tree ornament... won't cure.

I, on the other hand, have not been as lucky. And my little illness that I got after you coughed in my mouth (we need to work on your manners, that way), just won't go away. It doesn't help that my doctor is very, VERY conservative and even though I explained to him that we've got company coming this week and I've got a half-marathon that I'm supposed to run... he wasn't convinced that I should be on anything other than a nasal lavage. A few days later and a phone call with a hoarse voice because my throat is so sore that I've been waking up crying in the middle of the night convinced him to put me on a mild antibiotic. Not that it's working. Bugger!

So, even though we had Sunday to ourselves... I started to wear down pretty early in the day. But, before that, you and I ate breakfast... and hooray!! you've stopped spitting out your rice cereal!!... and then played for a while before we ran to the store to get Daddy some Gatorade and Saltines. Later in the afternoon, you and I headed to Lowe's to pick up a bird bath and some hanging plants for the backyard.

Ah, yes... the backyard. We finally have one. Your Daddy spent all day Friday working on the yard to make it liveable. See, we haven't had a backyard in about 7 years. Ever since we got the dog, she basically destroyed the backyard... either by digging up random chunks of grass, or by pooping EVERYWHERE, or by gnawing on the sprinkler heads. And she actually ate all four chairs that were part of our very first patio furniture set and we decided that hey... why bother replacing them? She'll just eat the new ones. So, until we were able to find a loving home for Bailey, we decided to just let her have the backyard and we'd just stay in the house.

But now? Now we get to have a backyard and I can't tell you how nice that has been. Until we realized that... yea, we have no where to sit! So, Saturday, your Daddy went and bought us a brand new table and chairs so that we can spend some quality time out there. He also cleared out my old crummy garden and removed this rotting stump that has plagued me for YEARS. It's like I have this blank canvas to paint on, and I've finally got some ideas of what I want the backyard living area to look like.

We also bought you a tree. You're very own tree!

It's a Spring Snow Crab Apple and it smells AMAZING. And Spring Snow is perfect, because this Spring? There's been a LOT of snow. Enough so that Mommy has almost lost her mind when she opens the blinds and sees it snowing when all she wants... all she NEEDS... is the sun.

Anyhoo, the plan was to plant it on Mother's Day... but your Daddy just wasn't feeling well, so we'll have to plant it sometime this week before all of our company arrives. That's the plan, anyway.

You and Daddy also got me the cutest little necklace for Mother's Day... it must be your influence because your Daddy has only ever given me one piece of jewlery, and I wear that one every day. It's a necklace with two little birds sitting on a branch. It's perfect. And I plan on wearing it every day as well. Unless you ever manage to grab it like you've been trying to ever since I put it on. Because it's bright. And shiny! And you MUST HAVE IT!! IN. YOUR. MOUTH.

My first official Mother's Day wasn't really what I expected... but I guess that's what being a Mother is all about. Changes of plans and dealing with them, right? I'm so glad you're feeling better and can't wait until your Daddy and I can catch up with you on the health train!

I'm very lucky to have the little family I have. I couldn't have picked a better husband or better baby. My life is full in a way I never thought possible and I thank you both for that. I know that I'm still in the learning curve of Mommyhood and I know that I'm going to continue to make mistakes and (hopefully) learn from them. I guess I'll ask you now, when your 6-months-old and can't understand the deal your agreeing to, to forgive me in advance for all of the many missteps I'll likely be making in the next 18 years or so.

And to your Father, he who worked his butt off Friday and Saturday but was sidelined on Sunday: Your efforts and love that directed those efforts were not lost on me. It's not just about the "day". And I love you for that.

Love,
Mama

No comments: