Dear Addie,
This weekend was all about the mamas! That’s right baby girl - it was Mother’s Day weekend!
Now having been blessed with being celebrated for 12 years now, when asked what I wanted for Mother’s Day, I knew right away… nothing. You see Ad, our life is in constant motion of unpredictability, and all I wanted was to just be. No schedule, no decision making, no changing diapers or sheets for that matter, no making breakfast or preparing the dog's pain meds for a sore hip - carefully disguising it all in a peanut butter dog treat creation. Just me, my jammies, and my family all around. My perfection.
Not exactly in agreement with my idea of the perfect day, your sister and brother were relentless in inquiring about what I wanted for Mother’s Day. They weren't going to take "nothing" for an answer. So, after much thought, I finally told them I knew what I wanted. “A real Pina Colada.” Period. Easy, right!?
After about a week of hearing them tell everyone I wanted a “Peanut Milano” as if it was some fancy cookie rather than a vacation drink, daddy stepped in to set it all straight. Phew!
Mother’s Day morning I woke up to you barging into our room to use the potty, but not before all too familiar large thump sound of you tossing your overnight diaper in the trash – check, I didn’t have to change you. This is starting off quite perfect already!
Still laying semi-awake, I opened my eyes to see your naked bottom heading out of our room, thankfully returning with pants on and ready to get some snuggles in. This is your usual routine, but since I get up before you come in our room most days, dad usually gets more of your snuggle time – so I happily took it today.
Funny there is a common misconception that autistic kiddos don’t show affection or closeness – not you… you are all about the snuggle time!
Our morning Mother's Day snuggle time was interrupted by your adorably sweet brother bringing me breakfast in bed. Still not 100% awake, he loving said “Happy Mother’s Day Mom” as he set the tray of food on the nightstand. I suppose I was moving a little sloth like for him because then he said: “aren’t you gonna eat it?”
I sat up with a little more speed and looked in the bowl – It was overflowing with chopped strawberries, vanilla yogurt, and homemade granola (he’s a keeper)! But it was literally enough to feed a small army!
After he saw me take a bite he scurried off and said he’d be back in a few minutes with my coffee (he knows me well). Knowing how proud he was of his culinary skills, I knew I was going to have to make a pretty good dent in this bowl before he returned, so I began shoveling it all in as fast as I could! Feeling a wee bit thirsty at this point, luckily, he had returned with my coffee and once again said he’d be right back!
I thought to myself, what could be next? Maybe he had a cute homemade Mother’s Day art project or something – I always love those hand painted macaroni projects. I snapped out of it remembering he’s in 4th grade and those days were long gone. Now I’m even more intrigued as I hear him coming up the stairs. Much to my surprise it was not an art project but my second course of breakfast! Yay me! Oh my goodness, I was already so full but here we are now with eggs sprinkled with cheese (a dead giveaway that daddy was involved in this plan too – he loves cheese!), bacon, and toast! I may not be getting out of this bed today after all unless someone rolls me out! A kiss on the cheek and he happily heads back downstairs – I adore him, but insert mommy praying course number 3 is not coming next!
You happily stole some bacon from my plate and headed downstairs to see what the rest of the crew was up to. Clara had come in at this point to tell me Happy Mother’s Day and then told me Gabe had brought her breakfast in bed as well as Nana who was also visiting! I told ya – he’s a keeper!
Feeling beyond full, I decided to head downstairs myself.
Everyone was out relaxing on the porch, so I went to join them. You were now happily swinging in your jammies (yay you had clothes on!) in the backyard. I sat next to Gabe and thanked him once again for the breakfast then asked him if he had diced up all those strawberries by himself? There had to be what seemed like a pound alone in my bowl! He said yes with a very proud, sweet, loving look on his face.
I just happen to catch a glimpse of a gift set of BBQ sauces that Gabe had given daddy for Christmas on the counter (something he’ s been anxious to use – fearing it was going to go bad). I said to him “Hey Gabe, are we going to use the sauces for BBQ today?” he very nonchalantly says “yes - I hope it’s not moldy like those strawberries.” I turned my head to him, wait, what?! Making sure I heard that right, I asked him what he was talking about? To which he enlightened us about the white furry strawberries in the fridge this morning. Not sure if I wanted to laugh or cry but we all erupted into that can’t catch your breath, crying type of laughter! I literally laughed so hard my stomach hurt (or maybe it was the strawberries! Ha!).
After having a good healthy dose of laughter (or penicillin) we summoned you in to get ready for church.
You must have known it was a special day because he let me wash AND dry your hair with no complaints!
Continuing the behavior success train, mass went great as well. You were a wee bit louder than usual, but it was with giggles and happy noises, no SADdie or MADdie here today!
With mass complete, we headed back home where You, Clara and Gabe were eager to get outside and in the sprinklers! Being a cool, crisp 95 degrees in our unshaded backyard, the neighbors let us borrow their dogs play pool to which you happily splashed in for most of the afternoon. Even gently pushing anyone out if they dared to step in to cool off. Hey, at least you were kind of nice about it.
While you were all cooling off in the water daddy was in the kitchen getting to work on my Mother’s Day present - Pina Colada time! Let me tell ya’ Ad when I said the “real deal”, that’s what daddy made me! It was amazing! Mark it, Pina Coladas will officially be a new tradition in the Menzo house for Mother’s Day, maybe Father’s Day, Groundhog’s day, Saturday’s…
With my gift in hand and my beautiful babies all laughing and playing in the water outside, I couldn’t help but think THIS, this right here was the best Mother’s Day yet! EXACTLY what I wanted. Simple, full of laughter, and with all the people I love.
Thank you for my amazing day! You all did such a wonderful job of making me feel so loved!
I truly love being your mom.
Love, Mom
Commenti