It's an extra special Mother's Day this year, because my kids are finally old enough to know the true meaning behind the Hallmark holiday, which is ... just give Mommy a break, okay? No fancy gifts required. At all. Just give me a day with no fights, no whining, no messes. Just get along, give Mom some peace and quiet, some alone time with a book, and that would be just about the best day ever.

They totally got it. But of course I still did get some amazingly fancy gifts to go along with this promise, and the day couldn't have started out any better.

Here's a tally of all the little blessings I've received so far today:

1. Sleeping late. 8:50 woo-hoo!

2. Breakfast in bed. I had ordered scrambled eggs and fruit, but the eggs got used for French toast while I was sleeping (you snooze, you lose around here). But I enjoyed the corn flakes and fruit -- what was left after my daughter ate most of it while I was distracted doing my son's maze ...

3. Maze. Who wants flowers or a spa treatment when you can wake up and be handed a pencil and required to complete a very difficult maze, crafted from the heart and mind of a little math genius, made even more difficult by the fact that I was barely coherent and nearly blind without my contact lenses.

4. Photo frame. You can never have enough photos of your kids, even the really crappy ones that the teacher takes of them looking their absolute WORST, right after recess or lunch, with her hair all in her face and food on her shirt. But the most memorable part of this year's photo masterpiece? The SPARKLES! Memorable because now I'm never going to get rid of them. Now they are all over my blankets, my sheets, my pajamas, in my cereal ...

5. Time for vacuuming. I vowed I wasn't going to do any housework on Mother's Day but those damn sparkles are everywhere, so my kids let me take a few minutes ...

6. Tantrum #1. Little Kid refused to go to church, even though I reminded her it's Mother's Day and that's the day to make life easier for Mommy. Fail.

7. Tantrum #2. Big Kid hits Little Kid for no good reason. I send both to their rooms, look in the mirror and notice sparkles on my nose.

8. Tantrum #3. Big Kids goes ballistic when he discovers that he's not going to get to blow all his First Communion money in the toy store today. Leaves for church in a big huff. Scowls for half the service. Happy Mother's Day to me.

9. Embarrassing Mom moment #1. Sitting in church, I look down and discover some strange sticky substance all over the front of my pants. As I look down I see blue kid toothpaste splattered all over the back of my pants. Oh, and some more sparkles ...

The best part is the day isn't even half over. But you know what, I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. It's SO true, what they say, every day really is Mother's Day. And thank goodness.

What remarkable gifts have you received for Mother's Day?

 

Images via Cynthia Dermody