Mothers

Hunter hates buttons.  I'm using the word hate here people.  The boy would prefer that every piece of clothing in his closet be button-free.  Most days, we comply with his request and let him wear one of his tshirts and elastic waistband shorts.  But sometimes, I just want him to wear one of those precious polos or cute plaid shorts calling to me from his closet. 

Last Saturday was one of those times. 

So I pulled 2 cute little outfits from his closet for him to choose from...both had buttons, so as soon as he saw them, he fell to the floor screaming in protest of the buttons.  I know what you're thinking.  It's not worth the fight, and believe me there were moments during the tantrum that followed when I thought to myself, "What am I doing?  Just let it go already."  But it was too late.  We were already deep in it by then, and dang it he was going to wear those plaid shorts even if it meant pinning him down!  

And as it turns out, that's what it took.  I chased him around his room - both of us on our hands and knees - trying with everything in me to keep my hysterical laughter as silent as possible.  That's my reaction...laugh or you'll cry, right?  

I finally got his shirt and shorts on, and he looked up at me with his tear-stained face as calm as can be.  When I said, "See.  It's so comfortable isn't it?", he responded with, "Yeah." and walked out to the car as if the last 5 minutes had miraculously disappeared from his little 3 year old head.  And me?  I sat alone in his room, thinking of my sweet son in his cute 4 button outfit and felt...victory;)

There have been many more instances in the last month that pretty much mirror this exact scenario (except the issue isn't buttons, but wanting to walk instead of ride in the cart or wanting to leave the water on in the front yard for just a little longer even though a lake is starting to form in our lawn).  Sometimes I give in, sometimes I don't.  It's the dance of being a mother.  Always, though, I laugh.  I can't help it.  I know what others are thinking.  I'm sure they're judging me.  But it's my natural instinct, and I'm thankful that I can laugh instead of cry or worse, scream.  It is such a challenging thing being a parent...a mother, but with that it's such a huge reward.  A privilege.  An honor. 

So on this Mother's Day, I'm thankful for the tantrums and the whines and every negative thing that comes with the territory of being a mother because during and through and after all of that, I get to be the mother of these two... 

"Before becoming a mother I had a hundred theories on how to bring up children. Now I have seven children and only one theory: Love them, especially when they least deserve to be loved."
-- Kate Samperi