Mother's Day, always an interesting day for me. This year I'd gone shopping with my daughter to buy cards for various 'mothers' in each of our lives and while we were looking through the offerings I could practically see a light go off above her head. She turned to me and said "Mum, I want to get a card for someone and I don't want you to see it." I obligingly looked the other way and told her how to turn the card over in the envelope so that the cashier could still scan it, but no one would see what it said. After she'd made her choice we were wandering the store and she came across a bag of colourful plastic cubes and asked me what kind of candy they were. I told her they weren't candy at all, they were plastic cubes filled with water that you can put in the freezer and use instead of ice. Her face told me that this may just be the best thing ever invented and she picked up a bag and informed me that she had to buy this for someone. When we got to the cash I asked her if it would help if I gave her some money and she could pay for it herself. She agreed, that would be best. When we got to the car she asked me if I remembered what she'd purchased. "Some candy?" I said. She smiled and said "Good, keep not remembering what I bought."
This morning when she came into my room and said "Happy Mother's Day Mum, open your presents now!" (I'd already received the hand made bookmark she made at school before she'd gone to bed last night) She presented me with a shopping bag filled with tissue and tied with a big yellow bow that read "Happy Easter!" Inside was a handmade card that she'd made at school, a store bought card and two tissue wrapped bundles. Surprisingly, the store bought card, though definitely for me, was from the kitten. Inside she'd written in little wobbly kitten writing how grateful he was that I'd found him and given him a home and decided to be his mom. The first bundle was the wooden box that normally holds her pencils and erasers. I was informed this gift was from her. Inside was a selection of her Easter candy that she'd gotten from the Easter Bunny. The second bundle was a mesh bag full of brightly coloured plastic ice cubes. These were also from the kitten. She very proudly announced that she knew I liked having ice but that it was a lot of work to fill the trays with water and they sometimes spilled on the floor (when she drops them). Now it would be easy for me to enjoy ice, without all that hard work. She then announced that she thought perhaps I'd like to go running with her, since it was such a nice day and I love running. We both got dressed in our running clothes, she packed up a backpack and we grabbed the dog and went for a 1 mile run which conveniently ended at the park. In her bag she'd packed a snack for us to share (chocolate, fish crackers and cheesy cracker sandwiches) and a game for use to play. She'd thought this one out and I had to give her credit. The sun was shining, we were having fun being together and for all intents and purposes all was right with the world.
I don't have a single photograph to remember this morning by and sometimes that's the way it goes. As much as I'd like to have my own personal photographer trailing me to capture all those everyday moments that turn out to be the ones I treasure most, it's not going to happen. I've taken a fair number of photos of my daughter since she was born and I treasure them all but days like today remind me of the photo below. I'd announced that it was time for me to do another photo shoot with her and she'd put on her new dress and we'd gone out into the garden. She'd been a bit shy and taken a while to warm up. Right near the end, while I was adjusting my settings, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. She came barreling towards me, a huge smile on her face and laughing the knowing laugh of someone who recognizes that they've caught you off guard and there's nothing you can do about it. I raised the camera to my face and as she went blurring by, all giggles and raw energy, I clicked the shutter knowing full well that I'd never get 'the' photo.
And isn't that just like life? Often the moments we cherish most are the ones that from the outside might seem mundane and not all that special but the memories they call forth are powerful and significant and evocative.
This morning when she came into my room and said "Happy Mother's Day Mum, open your presents now!" (I'd already received the hand made bookmark she made at school before she'd gone to bed last night) She presented me with a shopping bag filled with tissue and tied with a big yellow bow that read "Happy Easter!" Inside was a handmade card that she'd made at school, a store bought card and two tissue wrapped bundles. Surprisingly, the store bought card, though definitely for me, was from the kitten. Inside she'd written in little wobbly kitten writing how grateful he was that I'd found him and given him a home and decided to be his mom. The first bundle was the wooden box that normally holds her pencils and erasers. I was informed this gift was from her. Inside was a selection of her Easter candy that she'd gotten from the Easter Bunny. The second bundle was a mesh bag full of brightly coloured plastic ice cubes. These were also from the kitten. She very proudly announced that she knew I liked having ice but that it was a lot of work to fill the trays with water and they sometimes spilled on the floor (when she drops them). Now it would be easy for me to enjoy ice, without all that hard work. She then announced that she thought perhaps I'd like to go running with her, since it was such a nice day and I love running. We both got dressed in our running clothes, she packed up a backpack and we grabbed the dog and went for a 1 mile run which conveniently ended at the park. In her bag she'd packed a snack for us to share (chocolate, fish crackers and cheesy cracker sandwiches) and a game for use to play. She'd thought this one out and I had to give her credit. The sun was shining, we were having fun being together and for all intents and purposes all was right with the world.
I don't have a single photograph to remember this morning by and sometimes that's the way it goes. As much as I'd like to have my own personal photographer trailing me to capture all those everyday moments that turn out to be the ones I treasure most, it's not going to happen. I've taken a fair number of photos of my daughter since she was born and I treasure them all but days like today remind me of the photo below. I'd announced that it was time for me to do another photo shoot with her and she'd put on her new dress and we'd gone out into the garden. She'd been a bit shy and taken a while to warm up. Right near the end, while I was adjusting my settings, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. She came barreling towards me, a huge smile on her face and laughing the knowing laugh of someone who recognizes that they've caught you off guard and there's nothing you can do about it. I raised the camera to my face and as she went blurring by, all giggles and raw energy, I clicked the shutter knowing full well that I'd never get 'the' photo.
And isn't that just like life? Often the moments we cherish most are the ones that from the outside might seem mundane and not all that special but the memories they call forth are powerful and significant and evocative.
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