In honor of my 100th post (Yay for Real World Mom!), I’ve decided to stick with tradition and write the “100 Things About Me” list.
100 Things I’ve Learned As A Mother
- Love knows no boundaries
- When you think you can’t possibly give any more, you do
- You’ve got to choose your battles
- I’m not much for defending myself, but don’t mess with my kids!
- I know what unconditional love is
- You learn to deal with boo-boos
- I have three boys
- How to deal with broken bones
- And stitches
- As well as bad dreams
- Bad report cards
- How not to puke when changing really gross diapers
- Morning sickness is temporary
- As is babyhood
- There’s nothing like the feeling you get when looking into your baby’s eyes and they’re looking back at you
- I’ve learned to trust my instincts
- Though I don’t always listen to them
- And I usually regret it
- You really can feel your heart swell with pride
- Seeing those first steps
- When they take off on that bike alone for the first time
- And your heart is in your throat
- But they fly!
- Good report cards
- Seeing them in a production at school (no matter how minor the part, they’re stars!)
- Coffee really is fuel
- I didn’t start drinking it until I was 21
- After child #2
- I needed serious fuel with him
- And even more with #3
- I believe in something I call “Second Child Syndrome”
- It seems one of the second child’s obligations to his or her parents is to drive them crazy
- And supply your gray hair
- And be really sweet and lovable–at just the right moments
- I remember a comedian once said, “God makes babies cute so you don’t kill ‘em”
- I think it was Gallagher (the comedian)
- I think he was right
- Sleep becomes a rare and much sought-after commodity
- Don’t plan on getting any until they’re teenagers
- And like to sleep late themselves
- But then you lie awake worrying about them anyway
- Who they’re friends are
- What they’re really doing when they’re not home
- Will they do the right things?
- Make the right choices?
- Will they be successful?
- Will my car come home in the same shape it left in?
- Is their new job interfering too much with school?
- Isn’t it time for them to be home by now?
- Labor is only the beginning of the pain you’ll go through as a Mom
- You’ll hurt every time one of your kids does
- It will devastate you to see them disappointed
- Or, worse yet, injured
- I am able to handle more than I think I can
- Son #2 had an accident in which he fractured his skull
- He was only 7
- I’ve never been so scared
- He was at a children’s hospital for three days
- The worst three days of my life
- I still thank God it wasn’t nearly as serious as it could have been
- I needed my Mom during that time too
- You don’t outgrow needing your Mom
- There is just never going to be enough time
- To do all that you want to do
- To see all that you want to see
- Or to say all that you want to say
- I have to do the best that I can
- You can never say “I love you” too much
- I don’t remember my parents saying it to me
- I make sure I say it to my children (and loved ones) at every opportunity
- My kids say “I love you”
- Even after four pregnancies and four kids, I still can’t handle puke
- Doing it
- Seeing someone do it
- Hearing anyone do it
- I did, however, get used to the sight of blood
- Son #2 got stitches twice
- Once in his head
- And once in his lip
- I told him the scar would look sexy one day
- He’s 18 now
- And it does!
- No, I don’t think my son is sexy
- But he is very handsome!
- Son #3 cut his hand pretty badly when he was two
- We got to skip the stitches on that one though
- Because we sat in the emergency room so long, it stopped bleeding
- We called his pediatrician from the ER, and he advised us how to care for it
- My daughter has broken both of her wrists
- Once when she fell off of a bike
- The other when she fell off of a skateboard
- Wheels can be dangerous
- Son #1 is now 20
- A year older than I was when I had him
- Son #2 is 18
- Son #3 is 16
- Daughter #1 (and only) will be 13 in just under a month
- I have been blessed with four beautiful children
- They are beautiful inside and out
- Nothing else I do in this lifetime will ever be as important as being their mother
February 26th, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Congratulations on your 100th post! I love your blog and have added it to my feed reader so I can know when you have made a new post.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Congrats on your 100th post!!! I found so many of these dead on!!
Keep up the good work!
February 26th, 2008 at 2:39 PM
You posted my heart!
aaarticulation of tj
February 26th, 2008 at 3:21 PM
@Tammy: Thank you SO much!
@Kim: Thanks so much!
@kelly: Thank you for the compliment!
February 26th, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Happy 100! Here’s to the next 100
February 26th, 2008 at 7:33 PM
Congrats!!!
and this is such an awesome list!
February 26th, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Many congratulations Stacey on your 100th post
It’s a wonderful landmark isn’t it?
I love your list and I am fortunate that “Second Child Syndrome” doesn’t apply so that’s why I haven’t gone grey LOL I got a teenager instead hahahaha
It is lovely to watch them change over the years from babes into adulthood
Have a great day
Hugs to you,
Colin from Life
February 26th, 2008 at 8:02 PM
@Skittles: Thank you!
@Melinda: Thanks, Melinda, that means a lot!
@Colin: Thank you for all that you said! Hugs back to you!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Congratulations on your 100th post! Sounds like you are a GREAT mom!
I’ve tagged you, c’mon over and check it out!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Congratulations on your 100th post!! Yes, those things are so true about being a mommy!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:54 PM
*lol* @ #77-84!!
February 26th, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Congrats on your 100th!!
Is it just me or does writing a 100 things post EXHAUST YOU!
February 26th, 2008 at 10:25 PM
@Jill: Thank you so much! I’ll be over in a minute!
@Petula: Thank you, Petula!
@Maria: LOL! Glad ya understand!
@LunaNik: Thanks! This was my third attempt and the most enjoyable of the three!
February 26th, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Stacey – that is
1) beautifully poignant
2) revealing and insightful
3) summarizes motherhood from infancy thru adulthood
4) painful and humorous (with just a tad bit of sarcasm), and
5) makes me excited for the day i become a GRANDmother (no more kiddies for me)
Love it … love it …love it! If there were kudos here I’d be handing them out left and right!
February 26th, 2008 at 11:27 PM
#31… is that related to “if I had my second one first, I wouldn’t have had a second one” ? 16 and 18… thought I had it bad with 14 and 18. Congrats on your 100th!
February 27th, 2008 at 12:12 AM
Congrats on your first 100 posts. I am still tryign to read all your old ones. But so far I love your blog.
February 27th, 2008 at 6:12 AM
Wow! Quite a list. I’m not keeping track of my posts, but I don’t think I’m there yet. Congrats!
February 27th, 2008 at 11:22 AM
@Donna: Wow, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!
@Tiffani: Thanks a bunch!
@Bad Momma: Thank you too, Momma!
February 27th, 2008 at 12:22 PM
You are one awesome woman and a great Mom. Rarely have I been touched by a post as I have by this one. It is my good fortune to know and love you and be loved by you. To Stacey and the next hundred posts: Cheers! Ubu.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:59 PM
I love, love, love that you said you can’t handle puke!! I feel like such a bad mother because my husband takes care of the kids if they’re up puking during the night. But, if I help them, then there’s two of us puking!
February 27th, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Congratulations on your 100th – it’s so nice to have met you!
February 28th, 2008 at 12:38 AM
@Tim: I don’t even know how to respond to this. (Yes, speechless again!) Hopefully I did ok telling you in person how you made me feel. I do love you!
@Momo Fali: LMAO! I’ve had guilt about it too, but, what can I do?
@Liz: Thank you so much! I’m so glad we met too!
February 28th, 2008 at 3:34 AM
You know I’m right there with you 73-75. So there!! Great list – a very unique spin the the 100things. Congrats!!
February 28th, 2008 at 10:56 AM
@Huckdoll: Yep, I know! LOL! Thanks a bunch!
February 28th, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Great list! I think my favorite is #4, but they’re all so true!
February 28th, 2008 at 4:07 PM
@Carrie: Thank you!