What I Want for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is coming. I know this because I get a dozen emails a day about sending mom flowers, buying mom the perfect gift or taking mom to dinner. I also get asked by the husband what I want for Mother’s Day at least once a day. My answer is simple, even if it might not be what most moms wish for on Mother’s Day.

I want to spend the day with my friends and family. I want to have a bbq. I want to cook for them. I want to open good wine. I want to turn on some classic rock. I want to sit outside in the sunshine. I want to laugh. I want to be with the people I love. I want them to feel loved. I want them to feel cherished.

Because it really does take a village. I have not done this alone. First and foremost, I have an AMAZING partner. I can’t even begin to explain the amount of daily tasks Mike takes on around the house…I am blessed beyond belief. From bath-time, to packed lunches, to parks, to homework and dinner. The man is truly a partner in all things, especially parenting. He is hands-on. He is involved. And 99% of the time I don’t have to ask for help. I am lucky to have him. And sometimes I can’t help but hear this lyric in the back of my mind, “I have been blessed. With so much more than I deserve…”

And then there’s my family saving the day with sleepovers and play dates. Seriously…I have had to leave Ava with a babysitter once in 5 1/2 years. Do you know how much peace I get in the fact that she’s with people who truly love her? I’m so grateful for that. I am grateful for the advice, perspective and experience that each set of parents bring to the table. I am grateful to have a family that is supportive without being overbearing. I’m grateful that I can pick up the phone and say, “What did you do when _____ happened?” and always have an answer. I’m lucky, but more importantly Ava is lucky to be so loved.

Then there’s my girlfriends. Always ready and willing to help regardless of when or why. I’ve dropped Ava at their houses at 7am on Saturdays so I can get my long training run in. They have picked her up from school when I got stuck in traffic. They offer to bring soup when I’m sick and bring dinner when Mike is out of town. They are always there to offer advice and to help when I need it. But mostly they are there to listen when I’m trying to juggle it all. And sometimes, when all else fails and I drop all the balls, they show up with a bottle of wine and a big, fat hug.

So yes, what I want for Mother’s day is time with the people who help me on the journey…because I haven’t done this alone. I want a good playlist, phenomenal food, great friends, my family, sunshine and a good bottle of red. I want to say thanks.

Moves Like Jagger

For as long as I’ve been with Mike I’ve wanted a pug. My imaginary pug had already been named. Her name was “Pickles the Pug.” About three weeks ago I hopped on Craigslist and typed “pug” into their search engine. The search resulted in me coming across this face:

“Oh dear Lord I’m in trouble” was my first thought! That face!!! I immediately emailed the posting to Mike. No subject. No email body. Just the link. You see, he’s been on the fence about getting a dog. He thinks our lifestyle is too active and that we don’t have time for a puppy. But I knew if he saw this face he would at least entertain the idea. It took about 13 hours for Mike to bring it up. After much debating, weighing ALL of the pros and cons and asking my dad’s opinion, we decided we wanted to meet him. I knew we would be coming home with him that same day.

The first day he was crazy. Absolutely bat-shit crazy. Running, jumping, barking NONSTOP…and I kept getting this look from Mike and he finally said, “This is why they got rid of him Janice…he’s a pain in the ass.” I just kept saying, “It’s his first day in a new place…give him time.” But inside I was thinking the same thing…these people duped us. They are probably at home right now laughing because they got rid of their crazy dog and now we have him and I’m never going to hear the end of this from Mike.

By day three, he had calmed down tremendously. Now I couldn’t imagine our lives without him. It’s no secret that Mike and I are done having children and this little puppy has brought a whole new joy to the house. He’s livened it up. He’s funny and stubborn and so sweet. I never in a million years thought that a puppy would make our house feel that much more complete, but it has.

This morning, after I woke Ava up, and we were snuggled in bed I heard Jagger barking. He could hear Ava’s voice and knew she was up and wanted to see her. So I grabbed him and threw him in bed with her, which resulted in her getting a face full of doggie kisses. The sound of her uncontrollable giggles was all the confirmation I needed that we did the right thing by bringing the lil guy home!