Full of Gratitude

Late Christmas afternoon, as Madeline and Nick were getting ready to go off to spend the night with The Ex, Madeline grabbed my hand.

“You’re the best mommy ever.”

I knelt down so I could look her straight in her eyes, deep dark brown ones that are just like her father’s.

“Thank you, sweetheart.  Are you trying to make me cry?”

She threw her hands around my neck and gave me a wet kiss on my mouth.

“No, I’m trying to make you happy.”

Even though she utterly and completely gives me a run for my money on a minute-by-minute basis.

Even though she is a heaping dose of Ramona Quimby mixed in with a healthy amount of Dennis the Menace and a sprinkle of tomboy.

Even though she is full of sass and spunk and a free spirit like no other.

All that magically melts away when she says things like that.  Those are the moments that Mamas cling to when they feel like they’re about to climb the walls.  Like today in Trader Joe’s when I had to fish her out of the orange juice  refrigeration section.  And tonight at A&P when she had us looking all over the store for sunglasses that she had tucked in her jacket the whole time.  And at the restaurant at dinner, when she looked at me with great earnest and wanted to know if we could play in the water after we ate.

Those are the moments that make it worth every single second.

On Christmas morning, as we were opening up presents, Nick handed me a gift bag with what he picked out for me.  At the bottom of the bag with hair accessories, make-up and nail polish, I found a clear plastic tube with a card rolled up inside.

And as with Madeline, this heartfelt card, written on his own with no prompting or help from anyone, makes every second worth it.  All the attitude.  The eye rolling.  The push-back. Everything.

All so very worth it.

I’m one lucky Mom.

Project 365
December 27, 2010, Photos #320-323
When the kids went out to play in the snow on Sunday, Nick asked me if we could make taking pictures in the snow a new family tradition. I looked at him like he had three heads.

“Nick, I take hundreds of pictures a week. I assure you, we will have pictures of you playing in the snow.”

“No, I mean, can we make it a family tradition?”

Um, ok.

The blizzard was bad enough, two feet of snow dumped on us Sunday into Monday, but the huge gusts of unexpected wind made it positively unbearable. We couldn’t even open up the back door to let Eli out Monday morning.

I was in trouble, though I don’t remember for what.

Project 365
December 28, 2010, Photos 324-332

A good friend landed a new job last week, so it was cause for celebration. This nearby hibachi restaurant is just as much a treat for the kids as it was for my friend.

The “water” she so desperately wanted to play in after dinner. I caught her at one shoe off.

Day Three of playing in the snow. She will wear a hat if it’s one of his. Pirate hat. Dollar spot at Target. Love that.

Went to Trader Joe’s today. Love that this location is very Jersey, featuring state highways as part of their decor. Oh, that and the cheap cheese. And dried Bing cherries. And awesome reusable cloth tote bags. And Ezekiel bread.