What this mom really wants for Mother's Day
Friday, May 09, 2008
My husband, always the procrastinator when it comes to gift shopping, had been frantically asking me the past few days what I wanted for Mother's Day.
Hmmmm. Diamond earrings? A brand new wardrobe that actually fits my stretched-out body? A weekend getaway to somewhere sunny and serene?
Extras
Those all sound nice, but nah. None of that stuff matters to me.
Really, Mother's Day isn't about the gifts.
Candy isn't going to help my weight-loss plans. Flowers are gorgeous and smell nice, but they just die and end up sitting on my kitchen table all shriveled up for weeks, sometimes months. I'd rather save the money for that mounting pile of bills on the kitchen table or to start those college funds I've been meaning to start for more than three years now.
For me, Mother's Day is simply a day to be proud of being a mom and a day to say thanks to my mom for the countless things she does for me every day (thanks, Mom). It's also a day to spend some quality time with my two wonderful children and hopefully to unwind after a particularly stressful week at work and home. If I'm lucky, maybe it's even a day to sleep in considering I practically had no sleep all week between a fussy baby and a sick 3-year-old.
But I suppose if I have to actually have a gift, here are a few things I would really appreciate:
A gift certificate for a cleaning service. Though I'd be absolutely horrified if anyone other than my immediate family stepped foot into my home right now, I could sure use some help around the house. Dirty laundry piles are scattered throughout the upstairs. Baskets full of folded clean laundry are still sitting at the foot of the stairs weeks after washing. Play-Doh bits are ground into the carpet, the dishwasher desperately needs loaded and the bath tub is, well, just plain gross. And there are toys everywhere! It's just so hard for my husband and I to keep up with the mess. We always seem to be running somewhere and not spending the time we need at home taking care of our household responsibilities. I would certainly feel like a much better mother instead of a total domestic failure if my house were a lot cleaner.
A professional organizer. Our home is relatively modest, and we don't have a lot of storage space. With two kids and a pack-rat for a husband (sorry, hon, but if you're reading this, you really can't get rid of anything), there's just nowhere to store all of our stuff. Our garage has been overtaken by kid stuff — summer outdoor toys, bikes, car seats, strollers, a toddler bed, plus all of our lawn equipment, tools and a rainbow of stacked storage bins holding anything and everything. Oh yes, and a bunch of leftover wood and supplies we used to build our deck. We literally can't walk in our garage. The inside isn't quite as bad, but you get the idea that we have a lot of stuff for our living space. It would be really nice to walk in the garage without tripping or not making a mad dash to close the garage door before my neighbors can see the embarrassing mess.
A keepsake I can treasure. It's funny. Now that I'm a mom, my most treasured possessions are things that constantly remind me of my kids when I'm away from them. My favorite pieces of jewelry (other than my wedding ring and anniversary band) are a relatively inexpensive mommy beaded bracelet proudly advertising my love for Sophia and Maximilian and a locket engraved with their birth dates. Our home has no expensive artwork, just simply pictures of our kids (OK, it's a shrine). Just buy me some frames, and I will happily schedule another sitting with the photography studio to fill them or just give my daughter some sturdy paper and fingerpaint and let her create a masterpiece.
You see, dads, don't have to fret so much over the perfect Mother's Day gift. All we moms want is to feel appreciated (and if possible, to have a little stress relief). A hug, a kiss and an "I love you mommy" is all I need to have a happy day.
Though I suppose I could live with a new Vera Bradley bag or a day at the spa ...
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2271 or mfong@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Comments
By Donna Martin
May 29, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
Michelle … it sure does sound like you have a great husband. And from what I understand, he’s extremely handsome as well. You might be the luckiest woman on the face of the planet.
By Cheryl
May 9, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this
To visit with my Mother. Spent time with my daughter and son and their families if possible. But the main thing is NOT TO COOK A MEAL that day.