Happy Mudder's Day!

When my youngest was a babe, he had the worst time with the 'th' sound. Really, though, it is a recurring torture for kinder aged kids as well, is it not - with those teeth falling out everywhere, growing back too big for them to all fit, and tangling the tongue? But, when you've got three little ones, the oldest missing four front teeth, the middle one potty training, and the youngest in diapers - it feels more like poetic justice that they all call you 'Mud' or 'Mudder' as the case may be.

Now, though, my babes are bustling teenagers and pre-teens and I have to say that even though babies are cute and cuddly and love you entirely without any question, regret since you didn't make them the kind of cake they wanted on their birthday, or retribution because you grounded them EVEN THOUGH you warned them repeatedly that you would if their behavior didn't change for the better and it only got worse, I am totally LOVING this part of our journey together. I've waited for the 'terrible teens' that I so often hear about - thinking and reasoning that this must be a natural stage of development to prepare them and me for the time when our days will not be spent entirely together but I only find that as the days go on, I love being with them even more. So, that's all I had planned for this weekend. Spent the whole day with the kids yesterday, just running errands, taking Thing 2 to a game, catching Thing 1 chatting up cute boys in the bookstore - AGAIN, and listening to Thing 3 tell me for about the fortieth time what he wants for his birthday in August because he's turning 10 and he's sure I'll forget just how special that is - LOL. Still, it was the bestest day - one that we topped off with a huge dinner and long talks at the table afterwards.

I was pretty prepared to wake up this morning, tackle the garden, and get on with 'normal' life. Here's where the older kid part REALLY changed that. It would seem that huscreature has become wise to the powerful genius that is the Loopy Ewe. Her 'wishlist' (most probably of which he was directed to by one of those sweet teen/pre-teen babes) feature of her store made it possible for them to shop for me without risking repeating the tragedy that was the year huscreature bought me the talking fish that sang, 'Don't worry, be happy'....a story I've told too many times to keep repeating but, ya'll, it ended badly. The gist of it is the fish woke my sleeping baby one day and, well, it was found later badly mangled and in the trash can...'nough said.

This time, though? They had me speechless, in tears, and then jumping around the room like a little kid on Christmas morning. You see what my little loopy is sitting on in this pic? Yeah, that's the very shade, style, and possibly even the one I groped whilst at Spring Fling but put back because I'd already gone over my budget and wanted to walk out of there with some serious yarnage. It would seem that the sneaky people I adore managed to get it, hide it, and keep thing 3 from spilling the beans about it. WOOT! I'm smiling a mile wide!

The Namaste bags are sooo cool and just what I was looking for. I wanted a bag that combined a purse and a knitting bag, but one that kept the knitting secure and separate from all the 'stuff' that goes into one's purse to try to mangle knitting projects. This center zip portion is for just that, the WIP, which, on this day, happens to be a pair of sport wgt. 'Serpentine' socks from Wendy's awesome book. You can't tell, now, because Loopy's showing off the compartments for me but, when I'm done, I zip up my WIP and it is happy and safe in the bag. The right side of the bag is plenty big for make-up (the side zipper pouch), a hair brush (yes, I do use one, despite my electrified do), wallet, etc. and the zipper pouch on the outside on that side holds my keys, change purse, etc. There's even two side pockets perfectly made for the phone and ipod to hang in side by side because it seems I always have one of them attached to my face these days - LOL. Then, on the left, PLENTY of room for knitting notions (tape measure, stitch holder, stitch marker, notepad, etc) and even a few books or patterns. I mean, can you tell I ripped my old knitting bag and purse apart instantly to pack my Namaste and still nearly fall over when I realized I still have enough space for a sweater in there? Do you think this means I love it?

To top it all off, I think this is the first time in 16 years that I can prove that the huscreature must have actually listened to something I said. I swear the man can mutter, convincingly, "mmhm, yeah, that's great, honey," in his sleep. Seriously! Recently, I've been telling him how I've pretty much exclusively changed over to size '0' knitting needles for our EKF 90/10 sock yarn. He did what I used to do at the thought of '0's and cringed but then I explained to him that it really doesn't affect the gauge that much nor does it take any more time or strain on the hands to use them but that I just like the way the knitted socks FEEL better. Then, he was doubting me so I got out a sock knitted on 1.5's and a sock knitted on the 0's and he stuck his hand in (thank goodness because the man has feet that wouldn't even fit in the heel of my socks) and felt around for a moment and, then, he was hooked on the feeling, too. I might have very subtly suggested that the 'hiya hiya' needles in Sheri's shop really appealed to me - so lightweight and so strong at the same time which mystifies me because, ya'll know, I'm a wooden needle chic - or at least I thought I was until I started knitting cables and such into socks. Anyhoo, he must have taken the hint because I also got two sets of size '0' hiya hiya's and, with my coffee/knitting time this morning, cast on some Cookie A. socks with them and, ahem, if I may say so myself, the needles are smokin'! Here's 30 mns. of knitting time counting the furrowed brow time of reading over the pattern quickly.... If knitting has done anything for me, it is that it has taught me to read first, though I stubbornly defy the lesson most of the time. heh heh.

So, I'm pretty much feeling spoiled and lucky beyond anything I can imagine to have another day of kid/farm/garden time planned with some knitting/spinning this afternoon. Being a Mom is reward enough for me - I'm loving this journey all the way through. But, being a Mom and being at the stage when you start to really be able to see the kindness, friendship, and generosity you've poured into them mirrored back at you? Well, it just makes you feel so happy you could cry all day....but you shouldn't. You should enjoy it, savor it, and be ever grateful that you're on the path. Hence, the goofy grin I cannot seem to remove from my face, nor do I really want to.

I hope all you Mudders out there, be you Mothers of children, nurturers of creatures, or mother spirits to the communities around you - have a goofy wide smile on your faces today! Happy Mudder's Day!