A True Mother's Day

For some reason I was really excited for Mother's Day this year. Maybe it is because I am knee deep in children and just wanted to be pampered and taken care of. Before I tell you how my Mother's Day went, let me back up and give you some background. The plan for Mother's Day weekend was to head north to Damien's parent's house where most of his brothers and sisters would be. The weekend promised to be relaxing and family focused and I was really looking forward to it! We planned to leave our house on Saturday morning after Michael and Claire's soccer game for a much needed change of scenery and chance to celebrate. Let's go backwards and find out why Mother's Day wasn't anywhere near what we expected!

Early Saturday morning at 2:00 a.m. precisely- Matthew woke up. I got out of bed and got him out of the crib to walk him around. I noticed movement in the bathroom and yelled to Damien that Claire was going to the bathroom and might need help. As I walked by the bathroom, I heard that unmistakable sound of someone throwing up. "Damien, Claire is throwing up!" I quietly yelled! He scurried out of bed to find Michael on the toilet and he had definitely gotten sick. I got nervous- as any parent of a vomiting child might get. Thoughts started going through my head of the entire family getting the stomach flu but then I would be more rational thinking that maybe Michael just ate too much. Michael eating too much? That has never happened! I had a pit in my stomach and just knew that things were not going to be okay in the morning.

I stayed with Matthew all night and Damien tended to Michael as he continued to get sick all night long. We knew in the morning we weren't dealing with overeating or even food poisoning. We were in for it! We called Damien's parent's and told them that the probability of us coming up for Mother's Day was not looking good. By mid morning, Michael was still getting sick and now running a 104 degree temperature. Basically he was completely miserable. I felt bad for him but knew that I had to quarantine him to try and avoid Matthew and Claire getting the virus, too. Then I remembered how Michael had shared his Slurpee with Claire the day before and how I had given Matthew a few bites of Michael's cereal. I was tired. Damien was tired. But the stomach flu doesn't care who is tired- it just takes over!

On Mother's Day, Michael was on day two of his sickness and only seemed to be getting worse. Poor baby. We would comfort him and then literally scrub down to try and not infect the other two kids. Here I was on Mother's Day- ready for relaxation and pampering and I was washing out barf buckets and administering medication and tending to my sick baby. Then I thought of something. My first ever Mother's Day was spent in Paris and I hadn't even held my baby yet. I remembering so badly that I wanted to feel like a Mom, but because Michael was so sick, the feeling of being a Mother was confusing. I shook myself from my daydream and looked at Michael laying limp in my family room. "You know what?" I told myself. "You may not be pampered on Mother's Day- but you are Mothering. Today is the day to remind you what life is all about." I started to not feel sorry for myself and realized the true meaning behind Mother's Day.

We picked up Thai food for dinner and poor Michael was barely able to make it to the table to join us for grace. It was a sad day (to see Michael so sick) but a wonderful day to not think of Mother's Day in a Hallmark way and instead think of it literally. I was Mothering to my fullest capacity. Michael who lay sick and fevering- just wanted his Mommy. While I would have never planned it this way- he made this Mother's Day one that I will never forget. Never have I felt so needed and important. Sure I wanted to put my feet up and be Queen for the Day, but I had a job to do. The most important job of my life. While I do regret that Michael had to feel so terrible, I thank him for being my first child and making me a Mother. Buddy- seven years ago . . . all I wanted to do was pick you up and hold you and call you mine. But you were too sick and still- I had never held you. Today, in your beautiful seven year old body- I held you and felt a real purpose in being your Mom. Thank you for making me feel like I have a place in this world.