Be That Mom

On Tuesday I started my day already tired from the day before, which began early with me finding my 5 year old inside the dryer.  While instructing my 3year old how to move aside the coats from the coatrack to get the dryer closed so he could turn it on. Later at the gym while changing a massive blow-out, a child-worker: "Ma'am, can you please get your son off our counter."

An hour later at Target while I was getting the baby and 3 year old into the cart, an employee says "Um, Ma'am... your son is underneath that car." I just wanted to scream "Yes I know, I KNOW OKAY?" It's not like he's in danger and I'm trying my best but I'm pulled every which way! He is just always into something. Always almost in danger. Okay fine sometimes it's actual danger too.

 Mom's who have a high energy son like this, can I get a hand-raise and an amen? How is it that he can get every hair on my head standing on end in a second but then melts my heart so incredibly.  All it takes is a dirt-smudged hand on my face and with focused love in his intense blue eyes "Mom, I really love you." He has a real sweetness that boy.

Well by Tuesday I had already had it for the week after dealing with a myriad of chaos that my kids had thrown my way. I was taking them home from pre-school and the day was particularly beautiful out. My fovever-people-starved-5-year-old has been begging me to take him to the park and the zoo and the state fair.  And since the park was right there I thought, "why not?"

First though, a harrowing trip to the grocery store with all three.

I figured I could use the park as a bribe for good behavior. Didn't work but whatever. I tried to be fast in there. My apologies to the employees who have to clean those isles after my boys blew through...

At the park they broke out of my van like bats out of hell. Finally! Just me and the baby while the boys play. We can sit on the park bench and I can talk on the phone with a friend like a real person while I feed baby. Isn't it funny how kids change your definition of multi-tasking? As a parent of only one kid I would've thought that feeding baby + phone call = multi-tasking. Now that seems like alone-time to me.

Anyway, that didn't turn out to be alone-time.  Five year old wont stop hurting the 3 year old, and now the 5 year old is pooping behind a tree. Sigh..  But before I could deal with that, another mom who had been pushing her 4-year old girl on a swing and kinda watching me spoke up and asked wryly, "you gonna nap them all at the same time?"

I told her I was planning on it and does it get easier? She said no, and that she has 7 kids herself. "Here, I'll take her so you can clean him up." I was so thankful as I ran to my van to get that trusty pack of wipes. She gave me some kind wisdom as I cleaned up Buckwheat, then helped me get them all into the van.  

This lady was so nice to me! Her kindness was simple was it not? It's so simple to be kind to people in small ways, and in my tired (in more than one ways) state, kindness from another mother felt like rays of sunshine.

Moms, if you want to be of any influence to each other that matters, do and say things that are positive and useful for that mother.  Speak to each other with words of kindness and mercy. A little love goes a long way.

 I really want to be that mom towards other moms out there. I hope that will be me when my kids are older. This mom of littles job is intense!