Mom Was Here

After another full day which has turned me into a walking zombie I stumble into my room to grab my robe and a pair of clean necessities for after my bath. I’m stopped dead in my tracks by the neatly rolled bundles that await me in my underwear drawer. I remember leaving them in a jumbled mess. “She’s been here,” I say to myself. Skeptically I slowly open my other drawers knowing I left them in complete disarray. Her mark was all over, the woman who taught me how to fold clean laundry, specifically my undergarments, has made her way into my drawers and turned a heaping mess into a happy place.

 

The woman I am talking about is my mother.  Why, you ask, is your mother touching your underwear drawer? You are after all are 28 years old, married and a mother yourself. Believe me I’ve wondered the same thing and when I ask my mom why she does it (knowing I will ruin her creation within weeks) her answer is always the same… “because I want to.”  

 

From early into my pregnancy with Mikayla my mom would randomly announce that she would love to come and watch my baby when I go back to work. Too overwhelmed with growing a human I would just reply “yeah sure” shrugging away the idea that she would actually give up her life in Indiana to help me out. After I had the baby and the decision of what to do with my career was staring me in the face I had to make a decision. I knew I could never leave my baby to go back full time unless the person who I had the most trust in the world in would watch her. That person was my mom and it was decided to have her move out to CT for the summer.

 

Mikayla giving Gram Gram a kiss

When my mom arrived in June I was an emotional roller coaster. I wasn’t ready to leave Mikayla and was unsure that corporate life was for me. My mom quietly encouraged me and with her help I made it through those first few weeks. My life was in complete chaos trying to navigate a marriage, child and job and my mom was there to support and help me through it.  

Three months of helping out turned into six. My mom and Mikayla became buddies. They had the same routine every morning... go walk into town, talk to random people, go to the diner and then go to the Library. I was able to get part time at work and even after I started that my mom stuck around helping with the baby, fixing my wardrobe, scrubbing my windows (I told her not to!) and all the while loving me in a way only a mother knows how. 

Last weekend she left to go back to Indiana. I felt as though it was the end of something very special. Throughout these past six months we have learned a lot about each other and though not always in sync we learned to communicate better. I was able to look at my mom with the eyes of a new mother and understand her love for me better than I ever have before. It is so easy to take it for granted!

Thank you mom for helping me become the strong, confident woman I am at this very moment. I love you.

A Merry Willmas

We aren't the only ones getting into the Christmas spirit...

Unpacking the Christmas decorations I came across a stuffed snowman... Willoughby "stole" it and ran around the house joyfully 

Will plays with Mr. Snow

The blur of Christmas

And the best part of all... I had the tree on and a pine scented candle glowing prettily. We were in the other room playing with Mikayla but I happened to glance in the room and saw Willoughby enjoying himself and soaking in some Christmas spirit.

And to all a good night

A Different Thanksgiving

Two major differences about Thanksgiving this year... My sister was in another country and there is now a small person joining us in the festivities. Here is how it all went down...

Wednesday

My parents came to our house after visiting Boston and along with the stories of pushy homeless people they also brought with them a stomach virus (which my mom thought was food poisoning). So the day before Thanksgiving my mom was sick and we were scrambling around trying to figure out what would be made the following day. I am one who likes to prepare and get things done ahead of time and since we hadn’t even discussed how the bounty we were about to receive was going to get on the table we ended up going grocery shopping Wednesday afternoon. NOT fun. I am not a lover of shopping… shopping for bananas, shoes or dog sweaters is all the same to me… overwhelming… so add the busiest crowd of the year and throw me into it along with my mommy brain and I’m a mess. Dhrumil was going down one side of the store while I, with three cookbooks in hand and the baby’s stroller, was scouting out the other side of the store. And would you believe… the no hormone turkeys they had were MINIMALLY processed making us then go to yet ANOTHER store to find a bird worthy of our table. I suggested just shooting one of the CT turkeys on the side of the road since they are most natural, but this was not taken well. HIGHLIGHT of the day… making an Apple Pie with Chedder Cheese crust from scratch with my grandpa as Sous Chef. Gasp I know… I have never been much of a baker but ever since I’ve become a mom and gone to the CIA (Cullinary Institute of America) for a team building, I have started finding a love in cooking.

A Piece of the PIE

Thursday

Mikayla decided the Holidays would be the perfect time to stop sleeping through the night AGAIN and so we were all a bit out of it that morning. Though my parents are in the basement when they visit they still hear the screaming… which is VERY loud since Mikayla’s lungs are now larger. My mom, still weak from the virus, worked on the turkey covering it with my soy “butter” since I am still doing non dairy (yes I know the pie wasn't totally dairy free) and I prepared the brussil sprouts which both my Uncle and Grandpa looked at with a wary eye. We spent the morning being killed in Rummy by my grandpa and staring at Mikayla who would wave, clap, attempt to crawl, bang her drum, smile and “talk” while we all cheered her on. Must say she seemed quite proud of herself and enjoyed the audience immensely. By the time we sat down to eat we were all even more out of it that we forgot our time honored tradition of telling what we were thankful for and while Mikayla screamed in protest because she wanted mashed potatoes we feasted on food that was good. Then Mikayla started to scream because she was bored and we put her high chair in front of the window and she watched the rain facing away from us while we finished our meal in peace. HIGHLIGHT of the day… my pie and my family.

Rummy with Pop Pop

Friday

Another sleepless night led to a cranky baby… online shopping in the morning and then Dhrumil decided to bundle Mikayla up and take her on a walk. After coming home and saying he was tired (to which I rolled my eyes) he went to lay on the bed. Rest of the day you ask? Dhrumil was talking to Johnny on the porcelain phone with the stomach virus while I put Christmas Carols up extra loud as to not hear the poor man. I am not good with stomach sickness… Mikayla and I drove around and took a fun trip to Walgreens in hopes of escaping for a while. HIGHLIGHT of the day… hmmm

Mikayla in a fort made by daddy (after the sickness)

Saturday

MAJOR sleepless night since Dhrumil was ill and I was alone on baby duty. The next morning even though Dhrumil was very weak, he was over the worst and so we decided we NEEDED to get out of the house and went to chop a Christmas tree. Though the hayride which was promised was not running we had fun walking amongst the pines choosing one we thought was best. And there she was… Miss Pine in all her glory! Dhrumil and I took turns sawing it down and Dhrumil made the final cut (since he was the man) and that was that. Oh Miss Mikayla decided she was above smiling for the family outing. Putting the tree up at home with a baby is exhausting. That being said after many failed attempts of making the tree look straight, we figured out the trunk was crooked… sigh. AND I got a rash from the tree… sigh again. HIGHLIGHT of the day… Christmas time is here! OH and my mom watched Mikayla so me and Weak Dhrumil who was exhausted could go to a movie.

Dhrumil carrying our tree

Sunday

Mikayla learned to KISS! AHHH 

Dhrumil and I agreed... that was the longest long weekend we had ever experienced. Hoping to not repeat the same next year, but holding dear to the few sweet moments we had!