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11

By Tricia on March 18, 2015 in Handmade Holidays and Celebrations, Natural mothering, Sewing and Crafts

My JP is 11. My Clark Kent (I have always thought that he looks just like him). My cuddly little boy. Eleven.

Sweet and tender hearted but quick to temper, all in one. As a baby he cuddled with me almost as much as Matthew has. He woke me every hour around the clock for his first year and hated every minute of being in the car. Oh the years of trying to go to garage sails with JP in tow. Yesterday we woke him with our customary birthday sneak attack where we all try to wake up earlier than the birthday person. We all sneak into their room together (are you imagining how difficult it would be to sneak in 9 people without making a sound?? ok good, just checking) and then belt out our birthday song as they sleep. Except JP is a super early riser so every year he just pretends to still be asleep as he waits for his late rising family to sneak in and start his day. After the happy birthday song has been sung, everyone turns their attention to me as the subtle reminder that it is a tradition for momma to sign the same song my momma always sang me. It is in Spanish and sadly they don’t understand a word I am saying but have heard it so many times that they can sing it too though I am the only voice heard at this moment. My voice, usually squeeky at this early hour. The look to me all the same. I could not possibly not sing it though I always get a teeny butterfly in the stomach moment and secretly wish I didn’t have to. I get passed myself and continue with the tradition.

We are treated to a breakfast cooked largely by the girls except for Eddie’s bacon. Eddie is our lover of bacon and he does not entrust our precious bacon to anyone else. Today we are not having bacon from our favorite bacon farmer. Instead we are trying out some in house smoked and cured, nitrate free bacon from Lucky’s. A new grocery spot that a friend introduced me to. They have a bulk section that I was impressed by and more fill yourself items than I find at Whole Foods! More about that another day but I will add that you can drink a beer while you shop. Nuff said.

After breakfast, gifts are opened along with that birthday card from Grandma Yoli which JP knows has been in Momma’s bag for a month now. He loves the words as much as the contents because he is my sweet boy. This year I decided to make a special birthday bag embroidered as such so that it does not end up with the same fate as all of our other birthday bags, given to a friend or used to collect treasures and not usuable for gifts after that. I decided to do the embroidery in spanish, don’t ask why but it seemed important.

The rest of the day was spent outside, playing running, sitting together as we all love to do. Eleven years I have gotten to spend with this child. Eleven.

Comments { 11 }

Happy Mothers Day where ever you are

By Tricia on May 12, 2014 in Family, Handmade Holidays and Celebrations, Uncategorized

Being a mother. For me it has been so many different things as the years have gone by. Wow, that makes me sound old. What I mean by that is that as mommas we all go through different seasons.

This morning, I was awoken by my beautiful blessings, one of which had been in bed with me the whole night. They asked me what I wanted to do. Of course, they already know (and you might know too if you have spent a few mothers days here with me) that I plan to spend the day in bed on every Mother’s day. Its true. I do it every year. As Poppa sprang to the kitchen with his grand breakfast plans as always, the kids sat around my bed. What do you want to do today,Momma?

I asked them to bring out the picture boxes. We spent the next hours laughing and remembering. All the days and years. The parties and the ho hum regular days that have made the weave of our life. You know what we did not remember, the messes, the tears, the problems. All we remembered were all the wonderful things.

If you are a momma with a lot of little ones today. My post today is for you. If you feel like the weight on your shoulders is so heavy or that you have so much to do and no time for yourself. If you are surrounded by many children who have not yet reached the age where they can be helpful in a way that takes some of that burden off of your shoulders. Momma, I promise you today that someday, you will look back on these days with affection. I have been there.

I have been that momma who looks lost at the grocery store surrounded by all her little blessings. I have been that momma who just realized its time for bed, and I never had the chance to take a shower. I have had 5 children under 7 with 3 in diapers. Oh momma, I have. I know where you are. I promise you, it does get so much easier…. and harder.

Everyone will tell you how hard it will be to raise those little ones. But no one, will tell you how hard it is to let them go.

As I celebrate my second mothers day without Alexandra living under our roof, I will tell you that it is a lot harder than cleaning up the messes or keeping up with all the appointments on the calendar. So much harder than all the lessons to get to or schleping children from soccer to field trips and even harder than the mountain of laundry that is a constant in our lives.

Today, no matter where you are in your motherhood. Stop to look around. Today will be the good old days that you yearn for later on. I promise.

So to all the mommas out there. Those whose children were born in their bodies and those whose children were born in their hearts. Those who are treading water and those who have already reached the life raft. Thank you for sharing in my season as a mother through my little blog and I wish you all the very best Mother’s Day, where ever you are.

Sorry for the blurriness of these following pics but that trip down memory lane this morning left me with some pics I wanted to preserve here.

John Paul and I 2004
on a road trip 2002