What it Means to Be a Mom

Alyssa's post yesterday did two things for me - 1.) made me laugh and 2.) made me realize just what lengths we moms go to ensure our children's happiness.

I was trying to think if there are things I do just for the sake of making my kids happy - not just the necessary stuff, like make sure they have healthy food to eat, a warm house to sleep in, and clothes to wear - and it amazed me a little that yeah, I could easily tick off a million things I do on a daily basis, just to make my kids happy, even if they don't particularly notice my effort.

Annelie loves the color blue. Gracie loves the color pink. Sure, they like every other color of the rainbow... but Annelie REALLY loves the color blue, and Gracie is absolutely in love with the color pink. So, when served breakfast, lunch, and dinner, my kids eat off their favorite plates - blue for Annelie, and pink for Gracie. Even if there are a billion other clean plates, and their pink and blue plates happen to be dirty, I make an effort to clean them (most days, not all days) so they can eat off the plate they like. And they love it.

Don't get me wrong - my kids aren't monsters (actually, that's debatable - but not in this context) if I serve them their dinner on say, a yellow plate, or an orange one... but I like to make sure there is a blue plate clean for Annelie, and a pink one for Gracie, because it makes them happy, and I love when my children are happy.

I could come up with a million other random (and maybe a little neurotic) things I do to make my kids happy... and I'm sure you can, too. Just little day-to-day things - perhaps picking a dandelion while on a walk, just because you know your kids absolutely love to make wishes and blow dandelions. Or sticking an after-dinner mint in your purse, while out at a restaurant with your husband on a much needed kid-free date, just because your kids will love it tomorrow. Or putting on that Jonas Brothers CD (cringe) for the one millionth time (cringe, again) just because your little tyke thinks they are pretty darned cool. Or perhaps you, like Alyssa, condition and straight-iron your kid's My Little Pony tails just because you can and, you know, because it will make your child happy.

Being a mom is very often a thankless job. In fact, its often - especially during the teen years - a 'thanks a lot for ruining my life, Mom' kinda job. But does that make us put in any less effort?

Absolutely not. Because it is SO worth it, isn't it?

xoxo,