Ahh, Mother’s Day. You’ve been hearing the not so quiet whispers of ‘Shhh, don’t tell mummy’ all week & now it’s here. It’s the day when you’ll be appreciated & celebrated for the hours of superhero parenting...if you live in a fairytale! Because if you’re a mum, you’ll know the reality of the day is, er, somewhat different. As a mum of two, I can vouch for that!
Hands up how many of these you can relate to:
1. The lie-in
The expectation. Nothing will get you up before 10am. Not even Tom Hardy on the TV. Because Mothers Day means sleep…
The reality. At 7am you hear the dreaded creak of the door and in come the troops demanding ‘Mothers Day cuddles.’ Before you know it, the baby’s there & so is your other half who is ‘exhausted’ from the morning shift. Well, it’s better than the 5am start…
2. The breakfast in bed
The expectation. You wake up to the smell of a fry up. Bye bye diet, hello bacon…
The reality. In comes the tray featuring… a slice of holey buttered bread that your mini masterchef has proudly buttered themselves, before deciding they want to eat it too. Two words: Bed crumbs 😬
3. The kid free bathtime
The expectation. A bath without a mini audience? That’s a Mothers Day treat you won’t say no to. You’re going to crack open that bathbomb, grab a mag & stay in there until your skin goes all wrinkly.
The reality. You end up sharing the bath with the toys that fell in & you can’t be bothered to fish out. After accidentally sitting on yet another penguin you cut your losses…
4. The presents
The expectation. There it is, the little box all tied up in a bow. It’s got to be the sparkly earrings you not-so-subtly hinted about.
The reality. Your munchkin told you last week that they’d hidden your card under the bed. ‘Shhh, Mummy, it’s a secret'. However, you still act all surprised when they fish it out & also proudly present you with a handmade glittery pasta necklace. Well hey, it’s sparkly & it goes with the pasta ring and bracelet you got last year. Suddenly you feel all the feels… I’m not crying, you’re crying. 😭
5. The flowers
The expectation. There’s a knock on the door. You open it to see the local florist standing there with a big, beautiful bouquet.
The reality. There’s a knock at the door. You open it to find the supermarket delivery man standing there with the groceries and nappies you ordered a week ago. But the hand picked flowers you got are pretty darn cute...even if the garden now looks utterly bare.
6. The lunch
The expectation. You score a table at the local pub & the roast more than makes up for the lack of brekkie.
The reality. You’re already late, but you get there by the skin of your teeth, only to find that everyone else in town has had the same idea. It’s going to be a long wait. iPads, anyone?
7. The family time
The expectation. It’s a Mothers Day tradition that you do something as a family on this day, so after the cards & pressies you wrap up warm, grab their scooters & head down to the park. It’s cold, but snuggles fix that.
The reality. It rains. Of course it does. So you decide to snuggle down with a film. The baby decides she’d rather yank at your hair than have cuddles & the 5-year-old is far too interested in his toys…until the baby gets hold of them. Let’s get ready to rumble.
This year I’m on Mothers Day #5, but it will be my first with 2. And despite what it brings, I wouldn’t change a thing. Because let’s be honest, it’s a day more for the kids to show you (in their own way) how much they adore you. #parentingwin.
Happy Mother's Day!
Header photo by Jose Escobar on Unsplash