So much happened over Mother's Day weekend, I feel like I could write five posts about it.
For instance, remember how I said I would be shocked if Mike remembered to get me anything? Well, I was so wrong! He totally remembered to give me something! His full blown sinus infection! Thanks, sweetie!
But clogged nasal passages aside, I really had a lovely weekend. Well, expect for the MURDER part, but I'll get to that in a minute…
First, Mazzy's preschool held a Mother's Day breakfast on Friday where I took one of my favorite pictures of Mazzy. (Notice the handmade Fruit Loops necklace.)
On Saturday, we took a trip to the zoo but I actually WILL save that topic for another blog post because TRUST ME.
Then there was the unexpected emergence of my never-before-seen alter-ego "SUPERMOM", who comes up with fabulously creative ideas to get her kid to do what she wants.
Don't want to take a bath?
How 'bout a bubble bath tea party?!
Don't want to turn off Blue's Clues?
How 'bout we make our own Blue's Clues and hide them around the apartment?!
I swear— I was like MARY FUCKING POPPINS this weekend and normally, I am closer to Ted Danson in "Three Men and a Baby" so I was quite pleased with myself.
And finally, there was Sunday's actual Mother's Day Festivities. (That's Mazzy with my mother-in-law below brunching at Mike's cousins' house in Brooklyn.)
Mike's cousins have a brownstone with a kitchen that opens up to an enclosed backyard that leads into a music room. (All of the people on that side of the family inherited some magical music gene that bypassed my husband completely.)
Plus they have two dogs and a cat.
So Mazzy was like a PIG IN SHIT.
Chasing the dogs, harassing the cat, playing the piano, banging on the drums, eating bagels, running outside unattended, etc.
Brunch was so nice, I will even ignore the overshadowing of Mother's Day by Uncle Eric's birthday. (Can't I have ONE F'IN CAKE TO MYSELF????)
After brunch, I met my mom and my sister for a walk on the High Line. We gave her a Kindle which I think she liked due to the "You Can Make the Words As Big As You Want!" feature.
Now we get to the MUDEROUS part of the day.
After our walk, we went back to my apartment where Mike had just picked up fresh lobsters for dinner. Fresh lobsters being LIVE LOBSTERS, in case you have never had the pleasure of cooking them at home (or seeing Annie Hall).
Mike let the lobsters crawl around on the floor to see Mazzy's reaction.
Then she narrated for everyone as Mike placed each one in the pot.
"You put the lobsters in the pot?"
"Yep, so we can boil them to death and end your childhood with a metal cracker and a tiny fork!"
Mazzy didn't truly understand what was going on until she saw the lobsters on our plates.
"I see eyes. They are looking at me!"
"Yes, and now we will tear them apart with our bare hands and dip them in melted butter!"
Mazzy was wide-eyed and refused to sit down at the table. Even though Grammy repeatedly assured her that "lobsters are delicious."
"Would you like to try it?
"No."
"Are you sure? Lobsters are delicious…"
"No lobster. I want bread!" Mazzy was adamant.
Next Mother's Day, I am planning on taking her to a slaughterhouse followed by a steak dinner.
It's gonna be a hoot!
But the very best part of Mother's Day came after dinner.
My mom and I were sitting on the couch as Mike-itis continued to take full effect on my ears, nose and throat.
"Do you want to lay your head in my lap?" my mom asked me.
"Okay."
Mazzy stood by and watched this scene with confusion.
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked with her same wide-eyed-you-just-murdered-a-lobster look.
"You see, Mazzy," Grammy explained. "Mommy is MY baby."
Mazzy continued to stare.
"Can I hug her too?"
"Of course you can!"
With that, Mazzy climbed up into my arms, snuggled down next to me on the couch and gave me the tightest hug ever.
Then she looked right at Grammy and said…
"Mommy is MY baby."
And that my friends, is one very happy Mother's Day.
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What was the best part of your Mother's Day?
Aw, the last part really is the sweetest.
I had a nice Sunday – one-on-one time with my toddler which I REALLY needed since the baby arrived. And my mother-in-law finally got her hands on the baby, yay! (I mean that in the nicest way possible)
I will admit, your headline through me off! LoL! You have such a beautiful daughter and I love her name! Awesome you had a good Mothers Day! This is my first Mothers Day, my daughter (Annalisa) is 5 months old. Although the both of just hung out together it was the best day I had ever had!
Awesome post! I always wondered how others celebrate Mother’s Day when the MIL and Mom all in in the same city. Only my MIL lives in the same city as I, but every year I’m perplexed what to do… as it’s not like she has ever wished me a Happy Mother’s day… not verbally, or even a card. Oh well, I win some and I lose some!
“Next Mother’s Day, I am planning on taking her to a slaughterhouse followed by a steak dinner.” hilarious….i just spit my coffee onto my desk!
Such a sweet wrap up to what sounded like a really busy day. I am also very impressed with your Mary poppins activities. Pinertest reminds me often how lame I am and so I spent most the day Saturday dying pasta……………………
I spent my second Mother’s day with the full on puking flu. So my best was followed by my worst. It started out great with Hubs on baby duty, breakfast, gifts, then BAM! all down hill…
Bugs had a double ear infection so all she wanted was snuggled. We successfully watched Monsters Inc 4 times Sunday while laying on the couch in between running to the bathroom.
Here’s to next year!
That is so cute! The best part of Mothers Day was the 2 hour nap I got to take! (My kiddo took a 2.5 hour nap)
Sounds like an awesome weekend, aside from all the murdering. And sorry about your sinus infections. No Hunter boots or Ray Bans for me – I got an, um, interesting necklace. At least Mike tried, and it didn’t involve excessive snot or nasal pressure. And then he told me I could return to buy something I really want. Now that’s Mother’s Day love!
Mine sucked because my husband is an ass. A fact that he seemed to need to reinforce yesterday. Even though you had to share your cake (and I GET that), at least you had people thinking about you. My kids are too young still to be at all responsible for the suck fest that is Mother’s Day. And the thing that kills me the most is that I KNOW it is going to suck, but I get my hopes up anyway only to feel crushing disappointment. And then, THEN I have to read all these posts from Mom’s who have lost babies, or can’t have them in the first place, or their baby has special needs, or their baby is fighting in the Middle East somewhere and I feel guilty for being pissed that I had to make breakfast for everyone and do all the dishes and served left overs for dinner so I wouldn’t have to cook that TOO, and all I want, all I EVER want is a little recognition and appreciation for the hard work I do around here, and so, wait…what was the question?
I learned early on- if someone wants to help, let them help. Grandparents only make things easier.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Congrats on your first Mother’s Day! Hope they are all as nice as this one.
Yeah, it’s a little bit of work fitting everyone in, especially since my sister is here also and she has to work in her mother-in-law as well. That’s why we went for the afternoon walk and then my mom came to my house and my sister went to her mother-in-law’s house.
You should hear about our two Thanksgivings…
Dying pasta?! Now I’m impressed! I don’t know what stroke of genius made me think of making homemade Blue’s Clues. But Mazzy loves it and we’ve been playing ever since.
My sinus infection arrived smack in the middle of Mother’s Day too and then just continued to get worse. Mike has been sick for the past few days but he never gets it as bad as I do and was totally better by Sunday. Then he left for San Francisco yesterday so I’m home sick, PRAYING that Mazzy doesn’t catch it too.
Napping is EVERYTHING. I have no idea why I didn’t appreciate naps until I became a mom.
Mike’s actual present was a reservation at the place we had our first date. It’s on a block with a ton of great stores so he said we could go shopping first and pick something out. Nothing beats a gift you’ve picked out yourself- took me many many years of “interesting necklaces” to figure that one out.
Something I’ve learned is that you almost never get what you want unless you ask for it. This is true with raises/promotions at work as well as with gifts/treatment from the husband.
Instead of waiting to see if he surprises you, just write up a list and tell him exactly what you want. A card, recognition, to get off dinner duty, etc.
Guys are much better when they have written instructions.
At least your cake was pink. And you had cake.
Sounds like a great day, and it makes me wish we had family close to actually get together.
Mine wasn’t bad, but unlike last year (where I pretty much wanted a day alone), I spent the time with my kids–by taking them to an indoor play place where they were in heaven.
Happy kids = happy me.
Then we didn’t make reservations and couldn’t eat where we wanted.
And my daughter only napped an hour.
I didn’t get any “just me” time.
But I did get an hour of sleeping baby girl snuggles on my lap–which was sweet because it is so fleeting.
I can’t wait to hear about the zoo.
that just made me tear up… so sweet! and i think you will have to buy her that dog after all, her adorableness is too much to resist.
I even have video of her giving the dog a hug. I am DOOMED.
I’m with Mazzy, I’d have had bread too! Lobsters gross me out!
In NYC, you can never get reservations you want, especially on a holiday, which is why everyone I know saves going out to eat for a random Tuesday. Brunch at my cousins, dinner at my place- much easier.
Glad you had Mother’s Day snuggles- that’s all I really want anyway.
My favorite part was my card from the Mahogany Collection that said I’m a mom that “does our people proud”. We are inappropriate.
Aww, I love her HUGE personality. What a sweet heart.
P.S. I’m on your team Mazzy, I don’t do lobster either. Bring on the bread!
Aw, the ending was so cute. Made me wish my mom lived nearby (at least in the same country or even the same continent would be nice) so I could put my head in her lap again. It’s been a LONG time.
By the way, Mazzy is STUNNING. Seriously, I can’t believe you haven’t been approached by child model agents or casting directors or something. She’s gorgeous!
Last Christmas, I decided to grill lobsters for dinner. What’s important to know here is that 1.they were alive when I chopped them in half; 2. My entire family was horrified (children, inlaws, and possibly husband although he tried to cover it). After the lobster prepping, which was quite messy because my knife was dull, grilling, and plating, everyone stared at their food as if I had placed live bugs on it. Everyone but me was terrified and “not feeling very hungry”. Needless to say, I will never do that again. Or, maybe just not for this crowd or on this day. I guess Christmas is not the day to slaughter lobsters. Who knew?
P.S. I thought it was delicious.
I had a great Mother’s Day even though I ruined the day for my 4 year-old. I decided I wanted a big ole brownie sundae for lunch, which I thought the kids would go for. The girls were excited, my so cried, “YOU CAN’T HAVE DESSERT IF YOU HAVEN’T HAD LUNCH.” When I told him it was lunch, he yelled, “Dessert can’t be lunch that is just wrong!” Happy mother’s day to me 🙂
Aw! Little sweetheart! I love when they get it. Happy Mother’s Day (you innocence murdering psycho!)
that right there is what Mother’s Day is about – big tight hugs from your babies. my best part(s): card with 6 yo daughter’s handprint and very touching poem about preserving her little handprint so that I can remember what it looked like; card painted by 1.5 yo son at daycare with two photos inside. I also have his handprint on the card. seriously, the best gifts ever. hallmark’s got nothing on my two. most fav: grumpy baby boy just wanting to snuggle with mama cause that always makes it all better. and at the end of the night, i laid on the couch with both babies in my arms – priceless.
LOVE this! My four year old boys had the opposite reaction to eating crab for the first time. “We get to smash ’em and THEN eat them??? OKAY!”
Love, love your blog. Thank you for sharing!
I LOVE this post.
And I never get my own damn cake, either.
Sheesh.
Personally, I could have used some more snarky Mike comments in this post. But, still very cute.
Great story, great photos, that lox looks reallllly amazing. And such a sweet, sweet, perfect ending.
Let’s see, my 13 year old daughter made me a card and I framed it because it actually said something nice for a change; my 17 year old son bought a card with his own money; and my husband bought for them to give to me a lifetime supply of the yummiest herbal teas and an expensive purple cast iron tea pot that he made the kids promise to never sell in an estate sale when we die that’s how much it cost. we had brunch at my sis-in-law house, I took my mom to Michael Feinstein concert at the symphony, and then family gathered again for a nice steak dinner at a restaurant, and then I came home and did laundry.
That photo of Mazzy wearing the necklace is beautiful. She’s the prettiest 2 yr old I know! OMG you are SUPER mom with your creative ways to get Mazzy to do what you say. I’m so jealous of that brownstone with the walk-out patio. Glad she had fun and you got a break! LOL on the “want my own” cake. It is true. You should have your own. Poor Mazzy and the lobsters. It’s like when I taught my son to say and recognize chicken, it’s weird to tell him he’s eating it for dinner. Luckily, it hasn’t fazed him yet. And you totally made me cry with Mazzy’s last quote of the evening!!!!
Amen!
Damnit, Ilana, stop making me weepy when reading your blog! 😉
VERY nice post, though 🙂
Those photos are fantastic. I mean, your words are always great – but the photos this time – I think they are the cutest ever.
And isn’t that tea set awesome? We have it too. It takes a licking and keeps on doing whatever it needs to.
Aww, what sweetness. Sounds and looks like all the mothers in your life had a good day! 🙂
p.s. I MUST visit The Highline in August when I am there for BlogHer!!!
I actually had a really tough mother’s day so yours makes me smile. Is Mazzy a dream child or I am imagining that?
Aww, that last bit was terribly cute. Not for nothing, though, I don’t like my food watch me eat it, either. *shudder/gag/shudder*
You had to SHARE a cake? Sheesh. In my family, it’s separate cakes all the way. The last time anyone tried to get make people share cakes was 4th of July sometime in the 70s (my grandfather’s birthday is July 5 and my aunt’s birthday is July 3 and she pitched a teenaged fit over being expected to share a birthday cake. Someone found a cupcake and stuck a candle in it.)
Now we have a big September Birthdays Bash for everyone in the family with birthdays in September (5 or 6), and everyone gets their own cake. The leftovers are massive, but goshdarnit, no sharing.