With Mother’s Day being Sunday, I have been reflecting a lot this week about being a mom and reminiscing about past Mother’s Days. I decided I would share about my kids and some of my favorite gifts that I have received or given over the last 21 years as a mom. I am going to apologize in advance for oversharing and gushing about my kids. It’s been an emotional week – one graduated from college and left me yesterday…another graduates from high school in a few weeks and leaves the day after graduation for a month
Some days being mom is the best and some days, let’s just admit it…it’s just down right awful. It is the hardest job I have ever had. It is a job I wouldn’t trade for anything, even on the days I would just like to curl up in bed and take a long nap. It is the best job I have ever had. When you are a mom life is crazy and wonderful all wrapped up in one messy bow. I have 4 kids that I absolutely adore, ages 21, 17, 16, and 9.
Over the years I have received some great Mother’s Day gifts and some not-so-great. In reality, I don’t really care about the actual gift, I am just thankful that I am a mom. My favorite gift of all? My kids. There have been lots of prayers said in our house about getting pregnant and an adoption that took 5 years longer than expected. I am grateful for each one of my kids. I am so amazed by their unique personalities and quirks that are special to me.
My Favorite Gift
My number one favorite Mother’s Day gift? My kids. This picture was taken last weekend at my oldest’s college graduation ceremony. She is smiling because she is done with college and my boys are smiling because her graduation ceremony was over. My youngest is smiling, because that is what she does. Smiles!
My oldest daughter, Camden, is 21. She graduated this weekend with a degree in dance performance and is heading off to join a dance company this summer. If you watch Camden dance you see a bold and strong dancer that is fearless. In reality she is shy and timid, I am so proud she has pushed herself out of her comfort zone to live her dream. She has a flare for the dramatic, but she can laugh at herself when she is a diva. She is sweet but fierce all rolled up in one. She is my dancing girl.
Logan, my 17-year-old, is graduating from high school soon. I lost a baby boy between Camden and Logan, so he is my rainbow baby. When I was pregnant with Logan, I prayed often that God would make him big and strong…so I knew he was OK. And he was. When I was pregnant he rearranged by organs and used my ribs to push off. He’s now 6’3″ with broad shoulders and long arms. He is determined and wise. I feel like I have been raising a little man since he was born. I often have to remind him that he is just a kid and sometimes just needs to have fun. He loves basketball and will be heading off to play basketball in college this fall while majoring in business.
Because we had lost a baby and it took what felt like a long time to get pregnant with Logan, we decided to just see what happened when it came to getting pregnant again. So the week I stopped nursing Logan, I was pregnant with my son Kenlee. Logan and Kenlee are 16 months apart. Kenlee is 16 and will be a junior next year. Kenlee’s favorite phrase as a toddler was “me too.” He never wanted to miss out on anything his big brother and sister were doing. Kenlee is my free spirit and creative. He is shy but funny, sometimes too funny. Kenlee loves to travel and will go anywhere with me if there is a nice meal involved. He has always been smaller than his big brother. In the last year he went from 5’4″ to 5’11” and is still growing. I so hope he ends up TALLER and bigger than his older brother. He found his own sport, tennis, and plays on his high school team. Unlike his tight-hair and buttoned-up-shirt brother, Kenlee has long flowing hair and dresses trendy. If you love to watch the Goldbergs, you will understand my relationship with Kenlee by the fact that I call him “Schmoopie” and I come up on his phone as “Beverly.” A badge I wear with honor.
Last, by definitely not least, my Reena. You see Reena in our blogs and as a model on LaBellaFlora.com. She is a spunky 9-year-old. She loves to read and write, she would stay up all night reading if I would let her. She is currently working on a book for Logan’s girlfriend that is 60+ notebook pages front and back. We are not allowed to read it to until she is done, which I am confident will be when it is a full novel. She loves to dance like her big sister and play sports like her big brothers. Funny story, last week Reena told me that she has decided she is going to play basketball in college instead of dancing. I thought for a second, then asked Reena if she knows that she can go to college without playing a sport or dancing. Her response, “nope.” Poor kid didn’t realize she can just go to college. Reena has the biggest heart, she is kind to everyone (other than her brothers).
I am intentionally sharing this fact about Reena LAST, she is adopted from China. I cringe when someone refers to her as our adopted daughter when talking about all of our kids. She is just my daughter. I am blessed to have three biological children and one daughter that just happens to be adopted, my heart loves them all the same…there is no difference to me.
A Great Necklace for Moms
Once we were matched with Reena and had our travel date to China, I bought this necklace for myself for Mother’s Day. Tell your husband you have made his shopping easy and order it for yourself.
This is my go-to-necklace, I wear it with everything. I bought it at Nashelle.com. It is available in silver and gold, I picked silver because I wear a lot of white gold jewelry. My kids love this necklace. My mom loved it so much that I got it for her several years ago for Mother’s Day with all 6 of her grandchildren’s names on it. Side note she lost it and secretly replaced it only to find it again. She now has 2. Not that I am ready for grandchildren, but when they arrive this is a tradition that I will continue with my daughters and future daughter-in-laws.
A Spa Treatment
One of my husband’s go to presents for Mother’s Day is a gift certificate for a massage. This is a gift that I love! As moms it is rare that we take time for ourselves. That hour is the best and all about me. My biggest concern is not letting my mind wonder or falling asleep. I want to enjoy every moment.
Dinner and A Movie with My Mom
I have focused on gifts that I like. How about what my mom likes? She loves gifts that involve us spending time together. In the past, this has included tickets to a Broadway show, but now that my kids are older and our schedule is crazy, we are happy for dinner out and a movie. Instead of me planning a big dinner and cooking for my mom, we sneak out for a meal and a romantic comedy or drama. Just nice relaxing time together.
A Family Portrait
This year for my mom I am going to try to pull off a family portrait. My goal is to take a picture of all of her grandchildren. All 6 ages 21 to 9. It is going to be a major feat to get all of them together at the same time. I have looked and there is one week in July I think they will all be home in the same town.
My mom took us to Florida on spring break, I was able to get a picture of all the grandkids. It’s not professional, but it’s almost everyone. And as my eldest, daughter, has not-so-nicely pointed out she is not in the picture. So it will not work for my mom for Mother’s Day.
I really do love when everyone wears white or off white for family picture, especially on the beach. I love this picture I found on Pinterest. This could also be duplicated in a park or by a lake. Such an amazing gift for the entire family.
If you are in the need of a white summer dress for family portraits, we definitely have you covered at LaBellaFlora.com. We have many to choose from size newborn to tween. We have everything from casual dresses to fluffy dresses with layers of tulle and sparkle.
No matter what gift you receive or select for your mom this Mother’s Day, just take time to enjoy each other. I love watching my kids spend time with their grandmas, laughing and having fun. Even playing some poker. I hope I can be that grandma someday.
Happy Mother’s Day from LaBellaFlora.com!