Happy Mother's day to Richard?

Yes you read that correctly. Yesterday I wished Richard a Happy Mother's day. Last year I started a tradition of getting Richy Mother's day presents. My objective is two fold. First off I say I am doing something special for him because he made me a Mother, which also happens to be my very favorite thing in the whole world, and his excellent fertility should be celebrated. I know what you are thinking, "That is why we have Father's day". To which I reply wrong...well okay so there is some truth to that. On a less sappy note I ensure myself presents on Father's day when I share a little of my day with Richy (win-win). This year I got him a bike helmet, to get ready for our awesome bike rides this summer. I also got him this shirt, which I could not pass up.

A little back Story, we have been living in The Dalles since last summer with his parents. Our time here has turned out to be a great experience. We joke we are in no hurry to leave, this is the nicest place we have ever lived. Living here has come with a gym membership, a country club membership and there is even a nice lady who comes in and cleans the house every week or so. Life in The Dalles has been posh. I have loved getting to know Richy's parents better. Our time has been good on so many levels. My point is Richy will be wearing the shirt with pride or at least a sense of humor. I had a great Mother's day. On Friday Levi's preschool put on a little tea party and sang songs to the moms. Levi was the only kid in his class who did not sing. After the show I ask him why he did not sing and he replied "I already told you, the singing here is just terrible". It is true, he has complained about the vocal abilities of his fellow classmates before. I am not going to sit here and publicly call my son a liar, but I will say this I enjoyed the show! I have been thinking a lot in the last year about my role as a Mom. Levi will be 5 next month and as he grows, I am constantly having to learn new ways to teach him and support his little spirit. Recently it has come to my attention both politically and in my personal life that the role of Motherhood is not valued in our society. Everyone wants to hear about what cool business endeavors you have taken on or where you got your degrees. While I too find those things interesting, I am not in that place in my life. I am embarrassed to admit I have been a product of my culture in the past and not held Motherhood in very high regard. Yes there is lots of dealing with crying children and building with legos, but it is so much more. It is researching the best nutritional guidelines for my individual child's development, it is encouraging educational activities while trying to strike a balance between giving opportunity as well as allowing independence to form, and it has been for me nights up with sick babies and night when I am up sick with thoughts of my own inadequacy as a Mom. Right now while I am in the thick of having a 4 and 1 year-old, I wonder what it will be like to again wake up to the sound of an alarm clock and not an unhappy child who needs something NOW! I love being a Mom. I will take all of the craziness and lack of societal value just to be apart of these two perfect little children's lives I have been blessed with.