This Is What My Mommy Does ...

I know you've heard it said that we moms are our kids first teachers.  As we go about our days, our little ones are watching us and absorbing our every word and every action like little sponges.  Whether we want them to ... or not!  And you can bet that your audience will remember your every action and word and either mimic it or embarrass you with it.  Here's a few examples ...

Last summer (let me re-emphasize that for you .... LAST summer) we went camping as a family.  During one of our snacks, I served some thin-cut salami.  We also had crackers and cheese and fruit ... but what the kids really loved was the salami.  As we sat eating our mid-afternoon munchies, I folded one of my slices of salami in half and then in quarters and popped it in my mouth with the pointed end first.  Much to my chagrin, it didn't fit completely, which then required me to wriggle my lips around to accommodate the entire mouthful.  I will admit that it wasn't the most girly way to eat, but it didn't seem to be a big deal.  That is until Ashley piped up.

"This is how mom eats salami!"

She then proceeded to shove the entire bite in her tiny little mouth and chomp away.  Lovely.  Then followed several giggles around the table, a smirky grin from Brett and three kids all showing me again ... and again ... and again ... how I apparently eat like an ogre.  And it didn't end there.

Just last week, Norah was sitting at the kitchen table having a snack before gymnastics.  While she munched on her food, she turned to her sister and said, "This is how mommy eats salami."  Deja vu.  More giggles.  More shoving.  More chomping.  They are merciless, I tell you.

Ready for another?

Several months ago (it might in fact be an entire year!), Norah caught me washing dishes and sniffling a bit.  Of course, her nervous nelly-belly radar went on and she immediately asked me if I was okay.  I sheepishly nodded and explained that there had just been a song on Pandora that really touched my heart.  Hence the teariness.  She inquired about the song and I went on to explain it to her.  For your benefit, I thought I would include the video here ... so you can sniffle along with me. :)



By the time I finished explaining the beauty of this story about life-long love, huge tears were rolling down my cheeks and I was utterly choked up.  There's nothing quite like the power of a love song!

Norah's response was a bit lacking in the compassion department, however.  When her brother walked into the room, she turned to him and said, "This is how mommy cries ... whaaaaa! whaaa! booo! hooo!" Chuckle, chuckle, giggle.  As soon as Ashley came to the kitchen to find out what all the hub-bub was about, Norah and Aaron shared the news and I have yet to live it down.

Even just last week, I was teared up about something and Norah reminded in an oh-so-not-gentle way of my apparent hysterical response to heart-touching moments.  The little stinker. :)

As exasperating as it is to see your children mocking you - to your face - I can only hope that all the good and meaningful things I do in life will stick with them half as long.  Surely they will be able to look past my apparent faults of eating like Shrek and bawling like Crybaby William and remember how ...

Only Mommy knows how to properly band-aid a boo-boo with just the right amount of sympathy.
Only Mommy knows how to pack the 198th school lunch of the year and NOT forget a love note.
Only Mommy knows how to get the tangles out of syrup hair without causing excessive hair loss.
Only Mommy knows how to listen to the umpteenth recounting of the Clone Wars Mandalorian battle ... and still sound interested.
Only Mommy knows how important it is to have the favorite leotard ready for gymnastics.
Only Mommy knows how to be super excited and grateful about receiving the eighth dandelion bouquet of the week.
Only Mommy knows how to make dinner while at the same time holding a super-tired, super-hungary, super-clingy kiddo.
Only Mommy knows how to smile and sing along with Phineas and Ferb ... all day long.
Only Mommy knows how to fit two kids on her lap and still read the book using different voices for each character.
Only Mommy knows how to dispel bad dreams and bring comfort in the middle of the night.
Only Mommy knows how to distinguish between, "Ho-wee" and "Ho-wee".  (Sometimes Lydia has an owie ... and sometimes she wants someone to "hold me".)

I hope that my kiddos will remember me for how much I love them ... and not just for how I eat and cry. Here's hoping my legacy of love will outlive my chomping and sobbing!

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Be sure to pop over and see "What's for Dinner?" and "Trekking Thru the Bible" in the side bar!