A time to give thanks...

Mother's day is a great time for reflection - from all sides.  For me, lying in bed with my three littlies nestled up against my body, I realised that life is indeed different nowadays.  I wondered what it would have been like for me to be lying there alone - what factors of my life would be radically different without those precious littlies?  What if I had never had children, or couldn't?  My heart quails at the very thought!  But I am sure that the following things would have been vastly different on Mother's day:

I would probably have slept in.  At least until nine, and then got up to go to the loo.  Alone, and without an audience of spectators, all encouraging and excited to see what would happen.  Without knowing it, perhaps lonely and sad.

The reality:  me sitting pretty on the throne while having three expectant faces surrounding me asking "What are you doing?" and wanting to see the results.

I would have scrounged for breakfast somewhere.   I might have had a piece of toast, which I would have eaten by myself.  Every part of it.

The reality:  I lay in bed, with three little ones looking expectantly at every mouthful of the special mango and yogurt cocktail that they had made together with their dad in order to surprise me.  Did I actually eat any of said cocktail?  I believe that it was scoffed up to the last drop by my hungry brood.  And the joy on those small faces as I made a huge fuss about how tasty it was - priceless!

I might have drawn myself a long, luxurious bath and spent a few hours lying in it, only topping up the hot when it got too cold.  I might have read a magazine. The whole of it.  Without it getting wet or thrown in the bath.

The reality:  as soon as they see me relaxing in the bath, it is like a super fast strip to get into the bath too.  Then it is a mess of bubbles, cars, water all over the floor, wet hair, soap in eyes, soggy bread rolls in the bath, towels pulled in on top of us, wet bath mats and slippery floors.  Bliss!  What could be better than that?  No magazine came close.

I would not have thought twice about buying something I needed/didn't need and spoiling myself just that little bit. Invariably expensive, and decadently impulsive.

The reality:  Little presents made from small rounds of wood, straws and buttons, all glued lovingly to make a present for mama; artworks made from leftover telephone notepaper and sweetie wrappers; little clay boats decorated with feathers and sticks.  Wow - if I thought I was spoiled before - just look at me now!  Nothing could prepare me for the way in which I would treasure these priceless artefacts of their childhoods.

And then a day spent relaxing, reading books, and not doing anything else much of interest.  

The reality:  Getting a "mother's day cake" baked for me - which involved me running to the shops to amass the ingredients, mixing them all together and holding the mixer for eager little hands, putting the resultant over-beaten cake mix into the oven, and trying to fend off the hands, spoons and tongues while trying to ice the result.  

All in all, the most perfect day I could imagine.  And not one book or minute of relaxation in the whole of it.  Who would have it any other way?