My Special ‘The Usual’ Mother’s Day
If there is one word which sums up life with a toddler, it is the word ‘repetition’: the continuous words of admonishment (‘don’t touch that’, ‘it’s hot’, ‘get down from there’), the almost constant wiping up of spills and cleaning up of messes and the ever-repetitive cycle of ‘silence-crying-consoling’ because the said words of admonishment have once again fallen on deaf ears (‘what does mom know anyway, right? I mean, how hot can that heater really be?’).
Things to do with Kids: Mother’s Day
And yet, in between this draining repetition, there are moments of pure ingenuity. Moments of surprise in which I stare at our son with wonder and laughter. The moment when Bean decided that it was a good idea to unpack all of, and I mean ALL of, my unused plastic packets in order to create a blanket, for example, or the moment he decided to take my basting brush, dip it into the water lying in one of our vases and to then proceed to clean the table, or the moment when he grabbed a ‘poon’ (spoon) from the drawer to fix his toys (‘I fitsin, mom!’).
Managing our Mother’s Day Expectations
Last year marked my first ever Mother’s Day and I had high (ok, very high), expectations of this day. I imagined that it would be nothing short of fireworks, rosy cheeks and laughter. Reality was, of course, a little different: although I did get the gift and the cup of coffee in bed, it was just another day. Because nappies still need to be changed, kids can be difficult and yes, I am not the only mother in the world deserving special attention (shocker!).
Mother’s Day: Celebrating the Everyday
So, this year, I decided to focus on the moments of ingenuity, magic and wonder, to embrace the usual, to relish in the every-day things of being a mom. Because, that’s what I am: a mom to an energetic, challenging and kind little bundle of toddler-love. Today, I am thankful to be called ‘mom’, I will change those nappies with joy and I will repeat words of love as often as I repeat everything else.
Yes, today is just another day, and it is wonderful.
Guest Blogger
Written by: Alexa
A wife and mom, Alexa is an avid traveler always on the lookout for a new adventure. She is a high energy, natural influencer and inspiration to those around her. Although she has based her career on sales and marketing, she studied politics, philosophy and economics. A passion for writing has led her to blog on Things to do with Kids and on her personal blog called ‘Sleepless in Jozi”, which is focused on life as a mommy, travelling and generally being a busy body. In her free time Alexa loves spending quality time with her family, the outdoors, reading a good book and exploring new restaurants, markets and activities.
