"Ma ma...mommy...mom..MOTHER"

So my twins will be turning 2 in June and it is a really amazing time. Although they are into everything in the house, and no stone is left unturned, it is a wonderful feeling to be able to witness them grow. It will be almost 2 years ago that I brought home Michael (who was only 4 pounds 12 ounces) and Jenna (who was only 5 pounds 1 ounce) when we came home from the hospital. Over the past 21 months, I have seen them grow both physically and mentally.
“Ma ma” was pretty much the first words they uttered, actually all my kids said “ma ma” first. When they cry, or when they want something, or when they see me in the morning..it’s “ma ma”.

My older 2 quickly moved on from saying the primary “ma ma” to..mommy. It was “Mommy can you get me water, mommy can you help me put my pj’s on, mommy can you tuck me in, mommy can you clean my bum”. It is such an endearing word. It makes me feel so loved. I remember before I was a mother, I would see these little kids run to their mommy’s and hug and kiss them, and I would think that it must have been such a great feeling. Now I get to experience it firsthand. My daughter will be 6, so she is still “little”. She still lets me bathe her, she still asks me to tuck her in, and she still let’s me give her kisses when I ask for them.

I have been told from many people to enjoy these days. To enjoy the times with all my little kids at home under my roof, because once it is gone, it is gone forever. There will never be the time we have now, ever again, with our kids. My parents remind me that when we lock our doors at night, our kids are safely tucked in their beds and under our roof. I understand when they tell me, but sometimes I can hardly wait to see them all as adults. I sometimes feel anxious to raise them well, and see them grow into their own.

My 8 year old son has changed a lot this year. He will be 9 in April and he is beginning to be a little shy with me. It hit me all at once. There was no warning. I mean, some mothers that went through it did warn me, but I still was not ready for it. The other night we were sitting on the couch and he bravely asked me this, “Mommy, can I start calling you mom?” I was shocked. “What? Why the sudden change? Do you not want me as mommy anymore?” He just explained to me that mommy sounded a little too babyish and that he was growing up. I will admit, I felt so upset because he wanted to move to the next level. All those thoughts I had in the past about wanting to hurry up and raise them just passed my mind. How could I have wanted this? Why did I want to rush the process so quickly? All the days of him as an infant and a baby flashed before my eyes. I didn’t know how to answer him so I said this, “Joseph, I will always be mommy to you. You can call me what you want, but it will never change the fact that I am your mommy.” He respected the answer and just turned to continue watching TV.

I remember the days of when I called my own mother, mommy. It feels like just yesterday to me. When I spoke about her it was “My mommy does this” or “My mommy said this”, and then it changed. She was no longer mommy. I couldn’t bare talk about the woman that gave birth to me and raised me as “mommy”. I was a mature 10 years old and I had to act that way. It was “My mom gave that to me” or “My mom has this.” Just like that, she was no longer mommy to the outside world.

I have to embrace the other 3 that still want to call me “ma ma” and “mommy”. I have to appreciate the wonderful sound of those innocent calls from my kids that still look at me in the ever so perfect “My mommy is beautiful and perfect” eyes of theirs. I know that one day; the words of “mommy” will graduate to the next level. The “my” will eventually fall from the word “mommy” and I will have no choice but to be ready for it. I also know, from my mother’s own experience, that even “mom” will be replaced. I know that one day, my little children will look at me (mostly when they are upset) and just call me “mother”. My own mother will laugh because I think she secretly waits for all these things to happen to me so I can appreciate everything she went through with me..lol.

In our lifetime of motherhood, the stages move too quickly, we barely have time to breathe. We barely have time to think and we barely have time to appreciate. We will miss the names our children used to call us. The innocence of “ma ma” to the endearing “mommy” and then the day will come when it is just plain old “mom”, and I know one day, my 4 little innocent children that I have been raising with all my love, will refer to me as just “MOTHER”. So let me enjoy all the “ma ma’s” and “mommy’s” I can get from now until then!
That’s my peace today!

Crispy oven baked Chicken Drumsticks
8 - 10 drumsticks
1 egg beated
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup bread crumbs
4 tbsp olive oil
1tsp salt
Ziplock bag

Wash the chicken, then dip in the beaten egg and parsley. Pour the breadcrumbs and salt in the Ziplock and put 1 chicken at a time in the bag, shake it to make sure it is well coated. Continue until they are all done. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle oil and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Remove foil and crisp for another 15 minutes.