Right around Mother's Day last year, our 9 year old came home from school and said, "We talked about moms today and my teacher said you wear lots of hats. I think she meant daddy, because you don't wear any hats." Out of the mouths of babes.
Sadly, I think there was a time when I would've agreed with her. As a stay at home mom in my 20's, I'm not sure I credited myself with the many hats that job requires. But I proudly wore the titles of wife, mommy, and homemaker, made lots of mistakes, but did the very best job I knew how to do. So a quick heartfelt shout out to all you mommas out there who wear whichever hat your husband and/or kiddos need you to wear at any given moment of every single day. Wear those wrinkled, spit up, peed on hats proud, ladies. Your children are noticing. And you'll reap priceless rewards for your sacrifice someday.
I spent my 30's focusing on my massage therapy career while our 3 children at the time were in school. But things got a tad complicated when I was 35 and our youngest came along, and I suddenly had a baby beside my massage table, or occasionally strapped to my back. Thankfully, she adapted well to spending an hour at a time in a candlelit room listening to soft music, but I was extremely grateful for tolerant clients who understood that sometimes babies crap their pants at inopportune times. I was wife, mommy, and massage therapist, made lots of mistakes, but did the very best job I knew how to do. So a quick heartfelt shout out to all you mommas out there who wear whichever hat is required to get through the day juggling life both inside and outside of the home. Your children are noticing. And you'll reap priceless rewards for your sacrifice someday.
I mistakenly assumed our amount of hats decreased with age. But I'm almost 45 and accumulating more hats than I know how to handle. Wife, mommy, writer, massage therapist, zumba instructor, self-doubt-er, suck-er at multi-task-er, easily flustered, and full fledged panic attack-er. Yeah, I’m like the whole package.
But in November 2014, I got a new super cool most awesome hat ever, when my son’s wife gave birth to a 9lb 10oz baby boy, who rolled into the world, stole my heart, and gave me a new title, Sassy. Then last February, I became Sassy 2.0 when my daughter and her husband gave birth to their baby girl. By far, of all the hats I've ever worn or wear today, being a Sassy to my children's children is the best of the best. Playing, spoiling, hugging, kissing, reading, rocking, singing...it's all the love you have for your own kids multiplied by infinity. I have no doubt I'll make lots of mistakes, but I'm committed to doing the very best job I know how to do for the rest of my life.
So a quick heartfelt shout out to all you grannies...or nanny's, or gi gi's or sassy's...out there. You who unconditionally love, whole heartedly support, and happily lay aside all other hats of responsibility you carry at a moment's notice to embrace and fulfill this most valuable privilege as grandparent.
Your children are noticing...and this is your reward.