Five things

Inspired by Her Bad Mother, I'm joining in on The World According to Mom project. Where bloggers around the world are writing 5 things they love about motherhood.

So often, we focus on the challenging aspects of motherhood. The contradictions, the relentlessness, the isolation, the exhaustion. The body fluids. It goes without saying that we love it despite the challenges, right?

Right.

But for today, I'm writing about what I love. Join in if you like and post your link at Her Bad Mother. (And here!)

1. Spontaneous I love you's. There will probably come a day when my kids will not be so forthcoming about their love (or maybe they will even hate me?), or when they won't each be the president of their own little Mommy Fan Club, but for now, I can't even say how awesome it is to walk though a room, laundry, plunger or laptop in hand and get a random but heartfelt "I love you, mom!" (Or, "I wuv you!" as the case may be.) Little One usually throws in a "so, so much" and her winning smile (if I can see it under all that hair). I try to remember to pay them back in kind. Randomly.

2. Handmade cards. There is nothing better than a handmade card. Handprints, unintelligible writing, coloring outside the lines. Love. I've already seen a sneak peek of one of my Mother's Day cards, and it's priceless. (Stay tuned for a future post.)

One of my favorite cards was one that mGal made a few years ago for Father's Day. It said "On Father's Day, there is no grass cutting." Except there was some awkward spacing, so it actually said, "nogr ass cutting." Which made its way into our permanent lexicon. Rocket Man and I still say to each other "Get your nogr ass over here."

3. Childhood pronunciations. And let me say, WRITE THESE DOWN! They are so adorable, you will NEVER forget, right? But you WILL FORGET. Your kids will keep doing adorable things and there is only room for so much adorable in one brain. Write them down!

Some of my favorites: Wally Pockies (for Polly Pockets), Mary Mary Girl doll (for American Girl doll), restaur-nant, hosible (hospital) and fratten (red - I know, WHAT!?).

4. Milestones. I don't mean rolling over, crawling, walking. Those are great moments too. (And write those down too! You will not remember who did what when if you have multiple kids. Trust me.) But the milestones I'm enjoying now are the First Communions, first homeruns, first Christmas pageants (ok, maybe not always that one), preschool graduations.

I've always cried at the drop of a hat, but I am a blubbery mess when I hear a chorus of kids start singing O Come All Ye Faithful, or walk down a church aisle, hands folded, in First Communion finery.

5. Bedtime cuddles. I'm not sure how long this will last, but at 11 years, I'm going strong. I try to lay down with each kid at lights out time and spend a minute or two whispering and cuddling. (Ok, Big Guy is not a cuddler, but he still likes to whisper with me.) Sometimes I'm so tired, I don't make it past the first bed before I'm sound asleep myself, but those are moments I wouldn't trade for anything else in the world.

What do you love about motherhood? Share in the comments, post on your own blog (and then get your nogr ass back here and share the link here in the comments so I can go read it) and share on Her Bad Mother, if you are so inclined.

And Happy Mother's Day! I hope you get a good card!