Life with a Pro Dabbler: I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here...*

Whenever I want to have fun with my mom by getting under her skin I call her "Mommie Dearest." It always brings about that familiar smile followed by the narrowing of the eyes that is a common reaction to my sarcasm. I can't help it.

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his. **

I believe the enjoyment comes from the subtle underlying bit of something in my tone, that implies in a round-a-bout way what I sometimes find far too mushy to ever say directly. That, something, is always more understood than directly stated. Of course, that comes with a backlash. Like most children out there, my mom has plenty of dirt to shovel out when the opportune time presents itself; And those opportune times seem to pop up far more often than I ever intend to be prepared for.

I guess that is the type of stuff that mothers should be afforded, after everything they have to go through. Like building a whole display for a baby shower overnight (seriously, who does that ?). Though, in reality, it's birthing a child, raising him, feeding him, looking out for him, picking him up when he falls down and keeping him in check when he tries to step out of line. Teaching him, guiding him, letting him make big mistakes without telling him how wrong they were. Holding him when he cries and tickling him so he laughs. Taking his temperature when he is sick and letting him know when she knows he is faking. Watching out for him and just being there for him. All from the loving perspective only a mother can have. Even when that someone is calling them "Mommie Dearest."

Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.***

Then mother gets to become a grandmother. Or at least, that is the plan I think. I believe all mothers look forward and hope for that moment, once their children are past that age of irresponsibility (I'm not yet but I think she just pushed that to the back of her mind).

That is the type of news that is so exciting to give. You spend some time thinking to yourself just how your going to tell her. "Your going to be a Grandmother," or "I'm going to be a dad," or a multitude of others that pass through your mind. I even thought of what the look on her face was going to be. Of course, I couldn't wait to long to actually tell her so I ended up doing it over the phone. I swear I heard her chin hit the floor. Not in a bad way though.

I guess it's not always normal to tease and tease about being pregnant right before you give the news that you actually are.

So, now it's Mother's Day 2009, and there are so many mother's in my immediate circle who need some kind of recognition; And I do give it to them. Most of all though, I hope my mom knows just how much I love and appreciate her. She is the most giving mother I know and she did a really good job on all of us kids.

The most important thing I can hope for, is that I manage to accomplish the same things with my own kids. I want them to think of me in the same way I think of her.