It's Gobbles Time!: Mommyhood

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small,

And always leave my fingerprints

On furniture and walls.

But everyday I'm growing-

I'll be grown up someday,

And all those tiny handprints

Will simply fade away.

So here's a final handprint

Just so you can recall

Exactly how my fingers looked

When I was so very small.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had a really good Mothers' Day weekend when I allowed my mood be released from darkness, so this post will be in stark contrast to the last. The weather was perfect, the kids well behaved (for the most part), and even though hubs worked on Saturday, it felt like a picture perfect mom's weekend with my kids.

It started on Friday with the Mothers' Day Tea at the kids' school. Although they don't attend on Fridays, we decided to head up anyway because I love anything that my kids make for me. Gobbles' artwork declared his love that I play games on the weekends with him (true, we play on the weekdays sometimes too!), and the Lobster's had the poem written above. I dare anyone with a soul to read it without bawling.

The kids played with their friends while I chatted with their moms, and although we had to go grocery shopping on the way home, we decided to take a detour to a nearby park first. The playground was small and surrounded by a field of dandelions and had a little pond. We were all kind of surprised at the pretty view since we'd never been there before and it was set back off a major road. The kids played on the playset - Gobbles with a pal and his gal and the Lobster with on of her bffs. The other two moms and I joked that we wished we'd planned ahead and brought some adult beverages with us since it was happy hour, after all. We enjoyed the impromptu playdate, yelling at the kids when they tried to gather "wishies" too close to the road and laughing at the little conversations going on around us. The older kids shared a moment when they all had to pee and we took them down to the woods, poor D being held up in a hoover/squat by her mother, the Lobster and D's sister looking on asking for their turn (our response was, no, you have a pullup on, just use that!).

The kids' happy hour ended and we vowed to do it again sometime, this time with alcohol, all hopeful that it will happen again but at the same time knowing life is hectic and in just another 15 months our kids will all be off to different kindergartens and new friends. Somehow the Lobster Roll and Gobbles still had enough energy to accompany me to the grocery store, provided we could go to the one with a "car cart". We got everything on our list to flavor Sunday's dinner and went home for homemade pizza, some extra TV time, and kids who were extra willing to go to bed.

I could just squeeze you two!

Thanks, D for helping me on the computer! but don't you have your
own little sister to sit on your lap?

Slide races!

I wish every day could be Friday!

Wishie fight!

See K, this is how you make a wish!

Mom - This picture is from a totally different day in the car cart silly!
But, we did hit that grocery store three times that week, so you can use it!

The next day was planned to keep us busy, as I like to do when hubs is working (there's only so much Frozen one can watch, and I reserve that for Fridays when I have to do actual work). First was Gobbles' soccer game followed by a playdate with my oldest and bestest friend and her Mooshie Man.

Because of the uneven number of teams in his league, Gobbles' soccer team had a practice scrimmage instead of a game. To make up numbers, they allowed siblings to play too. The Lobster was thrilled with the idea and spend the first 30 minutes chasing her brother and his teammates around, and even getting a foot on the ball. She impressed me, not only hanging with the 4 year olds but hanging with their older siblings too!

I'm so unprepared in a skirt and no shinguards! But I'll run laps with you guys anyway!

And stretch!

Which one's mine again?

Well maybe I'll just touch it with my hands once!

Good job Lobster! I won't let anyone push you around!

Can you believe my luck of having my favorite color shirt again this season!

After soccer we went right to meet Mooshie, at a truck event they had at a nearby Lowes. We arrived first and the Lobster made a beeline for the pink limousine, where Sweet and Sassy was giving out glitter tattoos. Gobbles, not afraid in his manhood, also enjoyed the sparkly accessory. Mooshie arrived and the kids explored race cars, fire trucks, tow trucks, ambulances, cranes, and more. The Chick-fil-a cow, which seems to sponsor ever free event we go to, was also in attendance. The Lobster spotted her enemy no. 1 across the crowded parking lot and promptly declared I don't like the cow! Which is what she says whenever you mention Chick-fil-a, Mr. Scott, the mall, chicken nuggets, dancing, or the Easter Bunny. She will vent to her therapist about this one day for sure.

The Lowes build and grow group was also out making cars, but by the time we got to the table they were out of cars and the kids were tired, so we just picked up some packs to go and had lunch at the Lobster's least favorite place - you guessed it - chick-fil-a. After lunch the kids played in the play area, causing Gobbles to declare it his most favorite restaurant ever. By the time the kids were home and bathed, the Lobster was begging for her nap and Gobbles and I got down to hosting prep for the next day's dinner.

This year for Mothers' Day, instead of the elaborate brunch we did last year for our moms, I told hubs I just wanted to have a relaxing afternoon on the sun porch while he grilled, and we invited my family too. With his work Saturday and my soccer game Sunday morning, I wanted to get a jump on the cooking so I could chill out as I wanted. Hubs was in charge of the grilled citrus shrimp and chimichurri skirt steaks (with bonus filet mignon!) and I made a sun dried tomato orzo with kalamata olives and feta. Turns out Gobbles loooves feta, who knew? Anyway, I also wanted to make dessert, which was what Gobbles and I did ahead of time on Saturday while the Lobster napped. Gobbles helped me zest and squeeze the lemons, mix them into the egg mixture, and separately mix the blueberry compote for lemon curd. Then he helped me whip up a strawberry marscapone pie, licking the bowl afterwards of course.

Afterwards, as promised, I helped Gobbles put together the build and grow he'd gotten earlier that day - a miniature grab machine, with which he spent the afternoon scooping up prizes and cheering for his sister to play. The next day went even better than pictured. I got up early and played soccer, returned to find two perfect paintings of trees and a card waiting for me, relaxed with some drinks with my kids and my family, and finally had a delicious meal on the sunporch. Surprisingly I took no pictures on Mothers' day, I just enjoyed the moments in the moment. Two days later, another gift arrived in the mail, hubs' mothers day gift for me - two canvas prints of his favorite pictures of me being a mom - laughing with my lobster and cooking with my Gobbles. These are the moments I could live over and over again.