A Mother's Day Letter To My Mom, Now That I Am One

Dear Mom -

This Mother's Day, I wanted to thank you for all of the things I wasn't capable of TRULY appreciating until I became a mom. So thank you , Mom, for:

1. Giving Birth to Me: For carrying me around in your belly for 9 months, eating carefully to help me grow, and then giving birth to me naturally because you believed that was the safest way to bring me into the world, pain be damned. And then caring for me, with kindness, every day and night until I left for college.
2. Your Extraordinary Patience: When I think back now, I can remember only a handful of times either of you raised your voices or got fed up with us, which is quite astonishing, given the daily trials and tribulations of two girls. I still don't understand how you did that. I'm hoping to learn soon, before my children can remember...
3. Tolerating All My Phases: From a crying baby to a cranky teenager, you put up with all the annoying parts of childhood with grace. I felt like you'd never give up on me, no matter what.
4. Being a Great Listener: When I talk, you listen intently. You're careful how to respond so as not to hurt my feelings, even when I might deserve harsh criticism. Sure, you like to give me advice when I don't ask for it too - but hey, that's what moms are for, right?
5. Believing in Me: I never, ever, felt like there was anything I couldn't do. You instilled such confidence in me that I was never scared to try something new. I grew up feeling smart, powerful, and ready to conquer whatever challenges life brought my way.
6. Being My #1 Fan: You were there for every cheerleading performance, ever soccer and softball game, every science fair and school play. When I stunk, you didn't say so. When I was pretty good, you made me feel like I was awesome.
7. Having My Back: I always felt you were on my side, no matter what battle I was fighting, from the 5th grade "I Hate Michelle Club" my best friend created, to the high school soccer coaches who cut me from the roster with no explanation. You stepped in when you needed to, but if I asked, you also respected me enough to stay out of it, even when all the other parents said you shouldn't. 
8. Letting Me Know You Are ALWAYS There: All my life, from zero to forty, I've known you are there for me. I can call you before the crack of dawn or wake you in the middle of the night and you will be there to listen, to comfort, to help in any way you can. Even to this day, if I have an emergency, I know that you are willing to fly from Florida to Texas as soon as you can pack and get to the airport. You are my rock.
9. Being Dr. Howell: Okay, I'll admit this one can drive me crazy sometimes, but it's nice to know if I have any medical question, you will track down the answer. Or fifty answers.
10. Teaching Me Helpful Life Lessons: You taught me that life isn't always fair. You taught me to feel sorry for the bullies and mean girls - that there was something wrong with them, not me. You taught me to work hard to get what I want. You taught me to be brave, even when it sucks to be brave. You taught me kindness. You taught me how to be a good friend. You taught me that anything is possible, even magic and miracles.

I love you, Mom. Thank you for being my miracle.

Love, Michelle

Parent Favorites: OK to Wake Clock

Do you have a child who gets up before the rooster? Is it pitch black and you can still hear the owls hooting when he or she stomps into your room? We sympathize. Our oldest daughter, Sydney, has always been an early riser. The spring time change was suddenly the bane of my existence. What was once too early at 6am became way, way, way too early at 5am - at least for a while. If Sydney goes to bed later, she wakes up even earlier, so it's not an easy fix.

But at five years old, she really should be able to stay in bed until a reasonable time of the morning. Right?

Enter the "OK to Wake Clock." You set the time for when it's okay for them to wake up and it lights up green at the magic hour. Even though Sydney can read the time, it's much easier to have a green light tell you it's the right time. Especially during the winter when it's still dark at 7am. 

The girls get my weekly reminder that, "Look! There's this really cool clock in here and it LIGHTS UP when it's okay for you to be out of bed! Amazing!" They roll their eyes, but it does tend to keep them in bed until 7am as long as I keep at the reminders and there's a consequence if they get up before it's green.

This summer, we hope to teach her that even if the clock is green, she needs to play on her own until everyone else in the house is awake, since she's usually up a good hour before the rest of us.

Do you have any tricks for getting your kids to sleep later? Or to play on their own until it's time for the rest of the family to wake up?