My Mothers Day

I know, I know, Mothers Day was a little while ago now... perhaps someone would like to speak with my lecturer who insists on setting super hard statistical assignments that take up all my time and brain space.  Statistics seem to sap the creativity right out of me!  However, my assignment is just about all done, so I thought I'd get back to my blog.

So Mothers Day right?  For some mum's, mine included, Mothers Day isn't a big deal - it's just another day.  I can hear where those mothers are coming from... but as the mother of a five year old, I just totally love Mothers Day, because my five year loves it, she gets so excited and that excitement is contagious.  I am going to be so sad when her excitement about things dissipates... or she gets to cool for school for genuine, jump out of your skin, turn yourself inside out enthusiasm.

So her excitement builds in the weeks leading up to Mothers Day.  It almost peaks a few days before when at pre-primary they make Mothers Day cards, gifts and attend the Mothers Day stall at school.  So let me initiate you to the Mothers Day stall. 

Several weeks before Mothers Day, a note in the school newsletter goes out requesting donations of gifts to the Mothers Day stall.  It doesn't say what type of things to donate, or whether they should be brand new or second hand.  I have always assumed that the donations could be preloved - but in good condition - perhaps a re-gift... but I wouldn't have really thought people would go out and buy a donation.  How wrong I was?  I am now a member of the P & C, and the fundraising committee and well people on the committee expect the gifts to be new - I know, go figure.  To me half the fun of it, is seeing what interesting pre-loved knick knack my daughter thinks I will think is the most beautiful, awe inspiring thing I have ever seen.  I fear that something that is totally new, will lend itself to being just another item for me to re-gift because it has no special character... but I guess some hand lotion wouldn't go astray.  Anyway, if your child brings a gift then they can be one of the first to line up, pay $2 and select a gift.  Those who do not bring a gift are not left out, because many parents donate several "gifts" and so provided you have given your kid $2 and they haven't lost it on the way to school... then you too can get a Mothers Day gift!

When I picked my daughter, Chynna, up from school on the day of the stall, she gave me strict instructions not to open her bag because the gift was in it!  I had to wonder if, since it was early in the week, she would be packing her own lunch for the rest of the week.  Of course we negotiated a solution - she would observe me remove her lunch from the main pocket of her bag... leaving the small pocket holding the gift untouched.  Then she would take her bag to her room and hide the gift until her Dad came home to help her wrap it and she would return her bag to the kitchen, so I could repack it the following day.

By the time Mothers Day came around, I had no idea about what the gift was - none!  It seems at five years of age, you are quite good at keeping a secret.  A few time, I had to remind her to keep her secret, as did her Dad a number of times over dinner.  But I really had not an inkling.  I was much more concerned about the fact that no one had booked breakfast anywhere the day before Mothers Day.  I wrote my husband a list of places doing breakfast in the Swan Valley.  He was "good" (eventually) and called them all - but of course they were all booked out all day and had been for weeks!  My mum telephone for something quite unrelated and happened to mention that they were going for breakfast at Seventh Avenue, but they hadn't booked!!!  I was like, oh um, I don't think you'll get in, but if I book it for you can we join you pleeeeeeease.  So that is where we had a surprisingly delicious buffet breakfast at 8am.  I think the early start was possibly the key to the deliciousness of it all.

Having breakfast with my Mum was great.  We hadn't done it, probably since Mothers Day the year before.  We got to have a nice relaxing breakfast, while my Dad and husband kept the kiddly winks in line.  What's even better is that I got my mum a really useful and most awesome handmade gift.  I knew right away that she'd appreciate it.  It was a handmade peg apron, so that she wouldn't need to bend over to reach her pegs anymore.  It was made by my sewing virtuoso friend, Jacquie, who has a new online store - Pebble Lane Studio, check it out:

http://www.facebook.com/Pebblelanestudio, or

http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=27083 

My mum loved her peg apron - love your work Jacquie!

Anyway, I've left my favourite part of Mothers Day until last.  Chynna walks into my bedroom, jumps on the bed and snuggles up.  My husband whispers to her, did you forget, it's Mothers Day and she promptly jumps off the bed and runs down the hall.  She returns moments later, with her gifts.  She gives me a big hug and tells me to open the card first.  Being the obedient mother that I am... I contain my urge to rip open the gift.  There are three little parcels and so she hands me the card.  It is so gorgeous that I almost cry... thank goodness for teachers, who are mothers themselves and know what will make us beam the biggest smile.

It's so much better than it was last year, because Chynna can write her own name and copy words now.  I will treasure this card forever and I will put it in my "glory box", well, what will be my treasures box.  It'll keep me in touch with what is important and that is that Chynna loves me because I cook her noodles and pizza for dinner every night!!  Hahaha - how easy would my life be if that was the case.

Next she handed me a little, totally unexpected little package.  And again it nearly made me cry.  It is amazing the things your kids know about you.  She knows that my favourite colour is green. She knows my favourite food is raspberry chocolate - I think she means Cherry Ripes, I guess if I had to name a favourite food I would say Cherry Ripes (because, in general I just love to eat and therefore food is my favourite food)!

      

 She has also indicated that I like to cook dinner - which is my absolute favourite past time!  Good try sweetheart.  And she loves me because I cook dinner for her and well, that might be translated to I cook her special dinner when she refuses to eat the dinner that everyone else is eating!  This was a fantastic gift, it made me laugh and well, I just felt special - really, truly!  That sounds sarcastic and I really didn't mean it to be because I am being 100% sincere.

Inside the above little fold out card, wrapped in tissue paper was a pair of Chynna made earrings.  How cute are they? I wore them all day and made sure I pointed them out to everyone.  It's so cool to be able to wear something that your daughter has made for you.  Earrings as well - what a good idea!  I think, after opening the cards and earrings I said, I didn't need anything else for Mothers Day - I could feel the love from my handmade cards and earrings.  My husband sighed and said he'd take his present back to the shop.  It's a bit hard to compete with a five year old.

        

Last was the Mothers Day stall gift.  Like I mentioned earlier, I couldn't wait to see what Chynna had picked for me.  Chynna was so excited to finally give me the gift that she was bouncing around all over the bed.  It's an interesting little number... she followed in the jewellery theme... I'm just not sure I have anything to wear it with - since it will absolutely own the outfit!

Hehe, obviously she loves it - shiny and big, like a princess necklace.  What a cack!  

So thinking I had completely cleaned up in the Mothers Day gift department, my husband gives me my final gift and it turns out to be something I have wanted to get myself for awhile.  His ears have been switched on afterall.  He gave me an Emjoi.  Goodbye shaving, hello silky smooth legs - if I can find the time of course!!

I love Mothers Day.  May it alway be as exciting and as precious as this one.