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Monday, March 15, 2010

I'm This Sort of Mom

I'm the sort of mom who buys too many picture books because I love the artist's work. I read the kids books as much for them as for myself.

I'm the sort of mom who sits on the potty seat when I can't be bothered to remove it first. And when there are two kids charging at the closed bathroom door, I can rarely be bothered.

I'm the sort of mom who looks at a pile of vomit and wishes (for once) that I wasn't the one in charge.

I'm the sort of mom who fears the day when nap times are no longer necessary.

I'm the sort of mom who would rather scrub the bathtub than listen to the Dora's World Adventures CD one more time.

I'm the sort of mom who thinks babies are heaven-sent, and toddlers are...still heaven-sent, but with a little tied-on note that says: HA!
I'm the sort of mom who will leave spilled rice under the dinner table because I know it'll be easier to sweep up the next day when it's dried and crispy.

I'm the sort of mom who waits just as expectantly as the kids do for daddy to walk in the door from work. I do stop short of shoving them aside to get to him, though. But just barely.

I'm the sort of mom who wants to be creative and crafty, but has no real idea how to go about doing that.

I'm the sort of mom who never mops the floor because her heart would just be broken the next time something got spilled -- I'm more of a spot-cleaning mom.

I'm the sort of mom who secretly relishes the inevitable 'I need a dink a wadur!' from the toddler when she's supposed to be falling fast asleep. It means I can sniff her head one last time before she's asleep for the night.

I'm the sort of mom who prefers coloring to play-doh, crayons to markers, and Curious George to Caillou.

I'm the sort of mom who loved breastfeeding so much that I'm willing to have another baby right NOW just to experience the beauty of breastfeeding again.

But I'm also the sort of mom who's willing to have another baby at any time, for any reason, with no special thought or plan involved whatsoever. Babies.....mmmmm.....

I'm the sort of mom who thinks peanut butter and jelly is absolutely delicious.

I'm the sort of mom who sniffs her daughter's blankie when nobody's looking. And then hugs it and rubs it against her cheek for good measure.

I'm the sort of mom who's grateful for the outlet of blogging, both for navel-gazing and friend-making. And for keeping me connected to the outside world when all I can see is motherhood for miles and miles -- for keeping me from getting lost in here.

What sort of mom are you? (Or what sort of mom do you think you'll be?)

17 comments:

  1. I am a lot like that too. I prefer playdoh and markers though and my dd adores caillou although I don't get why. I bf'ed all my kids but I hated the experience...lol. Its too messy and sometimes ouchy.

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  2. Oooh, I love the idea of this post. And things ARE easier to clean up once they've dried!

    But it's going to take me some serious navel-gazing of my own to figure out how to put into words what sort of mom I am!

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  3. Oh, I'm definitely your kind of mom.

    (BTW, the image of that mocking, tied-on toddler note just made me day!)

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  4. I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one with the mopping anxiety!

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  5. I hope I'll be that sort of mom.

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  6. Loved this post!

    I think you and I could be good "actual" friends because I would use any of these to describe myself, except that there is very little that would make me want to scrub the bathroom tub (though I've never heard the Dora CD).

    I particularly liked the line about toddlers having a note attached. Very cute!

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  7. Love this!! We are SO similar! P.S. Savannah just got the coolest hand me down doll house, you girls need to come back over and play soon....as soon as I can figure out where to put this huge toy that we don't have room for ha ha ha!
    P.P.S. I'm the kind of Mom who takes things we don't need (or have room for)because I know my daughter will LOVE it!

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  8. So sweet! I really like your sort of "mom-ness." I'm a lot like that sort too. Actually, I'm the sort of mom who *outlawed* Caillou in the house because I couldn't put up with the whiney voice. I don't tolerate it from my children, so why should I tolerate it from a cartoon character?

    I'm also the sort of mom who thought just yesterday, "I really should mop the floor since we're having a party here today. But soon there will be 7 children in the house... so, what's the point?"

    And I'm the sort of mom who cherishes every moment nursing my baby... especially since I know he'll be the last. *sniff*

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  9. Most excellent post (as always)!

    I'm the type of mom who is glad that my little one is slowly becoming more interested in Clifford and Curious George in the hopes of less Caillou (and never introduced her to a certain purple dinosaur).

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  10. I nodded my head to so many of those... SO MANY! :) Especially the rice under the table...
    and your preferences (the one ending in liking George over Caillou)
    And babies... oh babies!

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  11. I love this, and I have to mull on it. I might have to write my own post (with a hat tip, of course). But in essence, we're the same type. Except for the bathtub part...

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  12. You sound like a great sort of mom. I have no idea what sort of mom I will actually be. I have lots of plans and goals and dreams, but real children have a way of changing things.

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  13. I can see myself being that kind of a mom too. I remember my mom used to tuck her nightgown into her jeans to drive us to school...I have a feeling I'll do that too since I'm NOT a morning person :) And I agree about breastfeeding, I love it! I'm planning on breastfeeding Molly until she's 1 but it's already going way too fast-how old were yours when you weaned them?

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  14. Lucy - Navel gaze, please! I want to see your momness :)

    Udubalum - Let's just go ahead and consider ourselves actual friends, okay? :)

    Une Autre Mere - You never know...stranger things have happened than surprise 4th babies...

    Joy - The purple dinosaur has never been watched in this home. At least not more than a cursory glance before finding something better. Thank goodness!

    Noteverstill - You HAVE to write a post like this. (I'm a bossy sort of friend, it turns out.)

    Lori - I nursed Mia 17 months, and Lauren 19 months. They both self weaned when they were no longer interested. So if you can stand it, and Molly still wants it, there's no reason to stop at a year. Prolong the attachment! Long live the boob! (Sorry...I got carried away :))

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  15. You're my favorite sort of mom! I'm the sort of mom who sees the bus stop at the corner, yet still takes my little girl to school and picks her up because it buys us thirty more minutes together everyday. I'm also the mom who puts my kids to bed and then rushes back in for more cuddles, snuggles, hugs and kisses!
    *I needed all of these reminders after a hairy, pants wetting in public sort of day...the child wet, not the mom. In case clarifying was needed. Ug!

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  16. Amen! I spot clean my floor too, and food is always easier to sweep after its been dried. Oh and I can't stand Caillou.

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  17. I can relate to many of your statements. Definitely the play-doh vs. coloring, and the Curious George vs. Caillou. I definitely sometimes wish I didn't have to be in charge. I listen for the sound of the garage door opening as eagerly as my children. I'm the sort of mom who encourages my kids to eat whole apples, even though I know there will be waste, just so I don't have to slice them.

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Hmm...And how did that make you FEEL?