Thursday Thirteen - Kids are the best Life Coaches

With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I'd take the time to reflect on the things that my children have taught me since I've joined the trenches of Mommyhood. I'm not the quickest study, but eventually I'll get it: 1. Pride. Shyness is nice, but shyess can stop you. And shyness is me. But not so much my kids. And that makes me proud. 2. Patience. Not one of my best virtues to begin with. Reading the favourite bedtime story for the fourth time without wanting to scratch my eyes out. Then tucking the chatty preschooler into bed with another personal (sometimes made-up) childhood anecdote. Re-tucking her in for the 6th time and loving the request for the tummy rub and even the dismissive "You can go now mommy" as she fades to sleep. Yeah, I do that now. 3. Courage. To even contemplate labour and delivery. Better yet, look forward to someone the size of a watermelon coming out from through the whoo-hoo. Twice in a lifetime. I've learned to be fierce. Don't even think about hittin' my kid in the playground, because although I'm no Mr. Lady, I can hold my own: 15 4. Humour. I laugh at burps and farts, as long as they're my kids'. Even the husband doesn't enjoy that distinction. 5. Dexterity. Carrying a knapsack, diaper bag, beach bag, snack bag and five-year old's hand in one hand, baby carrier including baby in the other. That was my summer of 2005. 6. Fear. Watching my boy fall from the swing with a thud, thinking he's cracked his skull open. Not seeing him at the playground within five minutes of when he's expected, only to find him playing a bit further down at the other playground. Seeing my 3 year old go hurtling headfirst toward the door frame in her too-big shoes, witnessing the sharp edged mark on her forehead, just thanking the stars that she missed her eye. In a busy department store, not realizing I'm in the middle of an impromptu game of hide-and-seek with a two year old who's suddenly perfected the skill of remaining still and silent. Fear. 7. Expect the Unexpected. Poops in the bath - check. Sticky-gooey-gluey play-doh peeling the varnish off the antique table -check. Glittery silly putty stuck to the broadloom - check. Untold smelly treasures on the floor of the van -check. Last year's chocolate eggs squished into the dark corners of the sofa/trampoline - check. Super sweet hug around the neck after a wrestling laughfest-tears to the eyes and - check. This is just the beginning, I know. 8. Selflessness. Motherhood. Synonyms. 9. Determination. Getting him to shower more than once a week. Sourcing the Wii. Battling to be second in line for kindergarten registration. 11. Ingenuity. This one I need to learn more from the hubs. Make every chore a game, instead of a shouting match. Kitchen utensils, putting away the laundry, getting dressed, brushing the teeth, it's a race against time or each other ... events worthy of the Olympics. Diversion tactics during tantrums ... look at the robin's egg; hey isn't that a plane in the sky; let's play basketball, but finish up the reading homework first ... 12. Fun 13. Love. The enduring love between a mother and her two precious children. A bond that knows no bounds. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there.