Offspring Day

At this point of the calendar each year, it's good to be me. There's a three-week period where I have my birthday, my anniversary with J, and Mother's Day. I get to feel the love, and lots of it.

This year, it's been a little sadder, but that can't be helped. J was in Seattle for all three of those calendar dates, so they were mostly a day just like any other.

We tend to be a bit anti-establishment in this house, and that means when it comes to Mother's Day, I don't want (or expect) bought gifts. No perfume, no must-have expensive appliance fad-of-the-moment. As long as I don't have to lift a finger for the day, it's all good. That's not too much to ask for, right?

Yesterday wasn't going to be a day of breakfast in bed and pampering. No siree, there are kids to be attended to - ones that aren't about to entertain themselves all day. Especially the three-year-old, who certainly doesn't give a damn about Hallmark occasions.

Lucky for me, they took my hints from the night before and put a DVD on to watch when they woke up. It was 8am before anyone came into my room - hallelujah! The Faery also got my hint (based on previous - very sweet - efforts of hers to make me breakfast) that if you're going to spread something super thickly across toast for another person, peanut butter is a much choice than Vegemite (oh, but I sound ungrateful, don't I?). My hint paid off though, because this was waiting for me when I came downstairs.

I have to admit, I was feeling the love.

Resigned to the fact that the day wasn't really going to revolve around me, I decided to make the best of it and take the girls to Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena - something that's been on my to-do list for far too long. The day was forecast to be 38ºC in the shade, but dammit, I was going to be 'fun mum' if it killed me.

For the most part, we did have a fun time. There's something about hands-on, interactive learning that feels quite rewarding. The museum has a large outdoor area, complete with water play, so that's where we finished up. Perfect on a stinking hot day. 

If you've been reading here for long enough, you'll know that I'm not an overly sentimental type - not when it comes to expression, anyway. Of course I feel it, but I don't gush easily, and I don't throw around words such as 'blessed' like food that's fast approaching its expiry date.

However, I had one of those moments as I watched the Faery and Miss Pie playing together in the water play area. I watched how they stuck together, the Faery protectively watching over Miss Pie. I watched how - when one of the Faery's shoes came off and floated away down the gentle mini-creek - Miss Pie took off in earnest pursuit, grabbed it, and handed it to her sister.

Watching them, I did feel blessed. I felt lucky that these two little girls are mine. These last few months haven't been easy, but I suspect that they may have been a whole lot more difficult if the Faery and Miss Pie weren't who they are. Their yin-yang essence, I wouldn't change for the world.

Anyhow, that's as treacly as I get. They know how I feel, and that's what counts.