Mother’s Day

(It doesn't take much to make me happy. But scotch helps)

By Katy England

Mother’s Day means different things to different people.  And what you want to do for mother’s day is going to vary – sometimes by year, sometimes by the second.

It’s hard, because the amount of time I want to spend around my kids depends greatly on things largely outside of my control. Like how much they are or are not screaming at that very moment. Just yesterday, I went from wanting to bask in their awesomeness to pretty much wanting to run into the hills and hide, while drinking hard spirits in the space of about an hour. And then back to wanting hugs.

Some of my mom friends want nothing to do with their kids in Mother’s Day. They want to sleep in, be taken out to a dinner they haven’t had a hand in, and hang out with friends and dance the night away. I have wanted similar things – and from day to day still want those things.

The thought of sleeping in – not just not having to get up, but actually having the ability to sleep past 6 a.m. with no thoughts to who is yelling at who; no consideration for what accident of a potty nature has occurred in the night; no thought spared to lost stuffed bears (that are usually under a pillow or swallowed up by a blanket). That would be amazing. And also oddly dispiriting – which I know is insane. But there’s something about being a goddess of laundry, cooking and finder-of-lost-buddies that is addicting. I mean, most of us are muddling through life looking to feel important. You know what makes you feel special? Getting a full-body tackle-hug for finding a stuffed penguin, followed by a “Tank you, mama!”

There are times I want to very much not have any mom duties. But then there are certain mom duties I didn’t know I could live without. Like sing-a-longs with the girls or story time or ALL THE HUGS! And with all the craziness, all the stress, and tears comes the laughs, love, and awesomeness. You can’t have one without the other. And it makes you happy that you had good examples in your life – cause not everyone does. My mom, and my husband’s mom are inspirations. My sister-in-law and her four kids blows my mind with how she is such an awesome, funny mom. The kind of mom I want to be.

So, my Mother’s Day is going to spent hanging out with the kids, letting them eat off my plate (I’m a terrible influence on children and dogs). We’ll probably watch too much TV and I’m not going to clean the house – well, I might do some survival dishes.  We will eat greasy take-out (Crosby’s – we’re coming for you!) and indulge in thick milkshakes. I’ll sing a billion silly songs of dubious taste. After bedtime, I’ll have some scotch and eat some Lofthouse Cookies.  And I’m going to love it (even if there is yelling).