Yesterday, I smashed my poor Kyle’s fingers in the car door. Ever since we got our car (a mini mini van…a Mazda 5, which was our compromise car so we would not have to get a REAL mini van) I have been terrified that this would happen. There is just something scarier about sliding doors on a car vs. the regular kind. I mean, I’m sure they both hurt when an almost 4 year old’s tiny fingers are in them, but still.
So, I was at Target for I think the 2nd time this week (may have been the third..I know, I have a problem) and got out of the car, and honestly, looking back, I’m not sure how it happened. He was out of the car, feet on the ground, and I looked up (from doing what I’m not sure) and saw it right before it happened. Luckily it was just the tip of his middle finger and he yanked it out fast. Wait….I think I was looking at the girl getting her 2 year old and twins in her car parked right in front of mine. She just looked way to calm and put together….but, that’s for another post. Psh. Utah moms.
Anyway, I immediately broke the one resolution I set for this year and felt so much guilt. There is nothing worse than hurting your own child. And, since he is my very sensitive child, it makes me feel worse. He cried for 20 minutes in Target (yes I still went inside..to get him some ice, OK?) and refused to let me do anything to his hand except to put a band-aid on it. As I lamented about this experience on FB, another Mom said that she thought it was something that all Moms had to go through at least once. Smashing a kid’s fingers in the door. Luckily my sister was the one that took that one for the team when I was growing up. She still has a beautiful broken knuckle to date. Thank you, Lindsey.
Anyway, it started me thinking of things that let you know that you have arrived as a Mom. Because when you have your first kid, you know you are a Mom, but there are certain events in mommyhood that seal the deal. Don’t you think?
Here are ten things I can think of that I’ve experienced. Why do so many of these involve bodily functions?
1. Being thrown up on/peed on/pooped on (since this usually happens early on in being a parent)
2. Temper tantrum in a public place (hopefully by the kid, not you)
3. Vomiting in the car. Surviving vomit at all is a part of motherhood. But, when they throw up in the car, that takes it to a new level. At least for me.
4. Smashing hands in doors
5. Scooping poop out of the bathtub. Yes, this one happened to me recently. It was not pretty. And, I remember this happening when I was a kid too. Something like this is etched into your brain forever.
6. Staying up all night holding a sick kid.
7. Losing your temper and then crying yourself to sleep later (am I the only one?)
8. Defending your child and or becoming a Mama bear and thinking later, “where did THAT come from?”
9. Maybe an ER visit? I haven’t had one of these….YET.
10. Doing something you swore you NEVER would as a Mom. (I have LOTS of these)
What am I forgetting?
After 17 years of parenting I have had each one of these (many more than once) The one that you mentioned that got me the most is the mama bear statement. I have had it multiple times over the 17 years and it always comes when you least expect it. I have said many things that I wonder where in the world it came from. The most recent was something I am not proud of but it was like a demon was in me or something! I have an awful person that lives behind me. Mean, awful person. Most of the time I feel sorry for her and wonder what happened that made her so rotten, but this fall something she said made me snap. I was walking around the block with my 3 year old son (THREE YEARS OLD) and he got a little a head of me. There was a loud Lightning strike and then thunder which freaked him out, since I wasn’t right there he burst into tears. Terrified tears. By the time I ran up to him (a few seconds) My hateful neighbor was screaming to “shut my stupid kid up” along with a number of other terrible things sane people would never say to anyone, let alone a three year old. I went OFF. Words came out of my mouth that I never thought I would ever say to anyone. In mine and my husbands relationship I am the quiet calm one. I don’t like drama. I don’t like fights. I will go to great lengths to keep peace. My husband had to pull me away from eating this woman alive. My heart felt like it was going to explode. Why would anyone be so mean to my baby?!? My scared widdle guy that was just scared by a loud noise that he didnt understand. Then he has this lady telling him to shut up.
I am not sure what you get from this other than mama bear is a strong force to be reckoned with and that lady is lucky Milt was around lol.
It doesn’t go away either. My oldest, 17 year old son, had his girlfriend of 2 years cheat on him last year. She decided to tell him about it right before his end of year physics finals. I came home to find my 6 foot son in the fetal position on my bed. That girl didn’t see the best side of me either.
OH my gosh. What an awful person to say something so mean. I would have gone off too!!! And, high school girls…I’m sure they can be ruthless.
I know! She yells from her backyard, over a huge 10 foot bush, for our kids to be quiet….When they are playing in their own front yard. In the middle of the day. Not fighting or screaming, just playing.
In my wild freak out I maaaaaaaaaay have told her it was no wonder she was so bitter because she is such a horrible human being that no one would ever consider having a relationship, let alone children, with her. 😡
oh my gosh. Hilarious.