The Verdict Is Still Out

Some of my favorite moments are when I am declared to be the "best mom ever" by my own. It happens fairly frequently.

For instance, one day, a couple weeks ago, Kate was napping and I was nursing Emily when I heard a crash, then running, then crying. I rushed out, worried I might find injury, but found only a tear-faced Maggie with powdered sugar in her hair. After dusting some brownies and sending them off with salad and breadsticks in a joint meal effort for a fellow church member, I had not yet put away the powdered sugar. Now, a large amount of it was on the floor with an upside-down brownie pan.

Maggie tried to choke out her version of what happened between sobs. I tried to comfort her and forget the fact that I was about to spend a lot of time cleaning up powdered sugar.

"It's going to be okay, Maggie.  I know you didn't mean to.  I'll help you clean it up." Pause. "You know, it's actually kind of funny."

At that last reassurance, Maggie's tear-stained face popped up and a slow smile began to spread, "It is?" she said uncertainly.

I nodded. "It is. We all have spills like this once in a while."

"Did you spill powdered sugar everywhere when you were a kid trying to help your mom? It made me really happy when you said it was 'kind of funny.'"

Just like that, we were back to normal and I was again to deemed the "best mom ever." I deserved it. It really did take a long time to clean up that powdery white stuff.

Unfortunately, I am also often determined to be "not the best/nicest mom ever anymore." And I deserve that too. It's hard to live up to my reputation all the time.

Today, I wasn't the best. I yelled a couple times. (I did apologize, but why can't we let sleeping babies wake on their own around here, for crying out loud?) The house was a mess all day. Dinner wasn't even started when Mike got home. (Does it make it better I had a plan and it was yummy and fast?)

I wasn't the worst either. I painted some nails. Helped the girls ride their bikes. Did some dishes and laundry and vacuuming. Thankfully, no powdered sugar clean-ups. That would have sent me over the edge.

In my defense, my allergies are acting up, I am really tired, and I think I may have swimmer's ear.

So, the verdict is still out. I am choosing to remember the powdered sugar incident and am feeling pretty good about myself, since, at least sometimes, I'm "the best mom ever."