Happy Mother’s Day to Me!

As the kids get older, the Mother’s Days become even better. They are filled with more handmade artwork and lots of “you’re the best mommy ever’s.”

My Mother’s Day celebration actually began Friday morning when I had “Muffins with Mom” at Gracie’s preschool. It is the seventh year I have had this breakfast at this school, and every year it gets sweeter and sweeter.

(This is Gracie’s painting of me. I am particularly fond of the pink hair.)

On Sunday, we packed up and headed to the beach. My favorite place.

The weather could not have been more perfect. 85 degrees and not a cloud in the sky!

We walked down the beach and picked up seashells, had a picnic lunch, played with our frisbee, and I even took a little nap in my beach chair.

The Easter Bunny brought the kids boogey boards this year, and this was their first time trying them out. Gracie liked dragging it around by the rope, but wasn’t such a fan of boogey boarding. (“I don’t like the water in my face.”) So, Chris took over her board and he and Bean spent almost all day out in the waves.

We got home in time to finish some laundry, get the rest of our week prepped and ready to go, and grab a bite to eat out for dinner.

I have loved every stage of motherhood. I loved those first few days in our house after each of my babies was born, when our family danced and swayed to midnight feedings and countless nights in a rocking chair. I loved when my babies began to walk and everything became new again in their eyes and in mine and Chris’s. I loved when they first called me “mommy” and when they needed me to kiss every bump and bruise along the way. I loved when they started school and brought home fingerprint paintings and every cold virus known to man. But I am loving this stage best of all because I am getting to know my children as real people. Their personalities are blooming, their likes and dislikes are unique, their mannerism and character traits make me so very proud of the little people they are becoming.

But my favorite part of motherhood right now is how much I like my kids. I truly enjoy them.  Spending time with them is fun and entertaining and brings new adventures, even when we are doing the most routine of things.

Mother’s Day is a day to pay tribute to our mothers, yes. But it has also become a day for me to honor my own children for their role in my life and for the life they have given me.

And it’s a pretty spectacular life, if I do say so myself.