Monday, May 9, 2011

A Mom Meme

I'm a day late, but I wish all of the moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day ... I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday and were spoiled with hugs, kisses and favors from your families. I was! I went camping over the weekend with my younger daughter and her girl scout troop which was really fun, even though the sleeping was kind of rough. We got home just before 2 pm yesterday at which time I was showered with flowers and gifts, followed by a nice long nap and Thai for dinner! :)

A few years ago, I saw this Mom Meme on someone's blog--I'm pretty sure it was at Amy's-- and thought it was such a fun idea for a Mother's Day post. Well, I finally remembered to do it this year. I asked my girls the questions over weekend and expected to be humored with a bunch of short one or two word answers. Which for the most part, I did get from my youngest, but both girls surprised me at how much they really pay attention to me. The answers from my teenager were thoughtful and well... touching. I didn't expect such thorough and insightful answers and I honestly hadn't realized how well she really knew me. Not just as her mom, but as a woman.

So here are the questions I asked my daughters A (age 12) and M (age 16) about me.

1. What is something your mom always says to you:
A: "Don't leave your hairbrush on the table!"
M: A lot of things I guess! She says she loves me, that I look pretty, "good job sweetie!" when I do well on a test or accomplish something.

2. What makes your mom happy?
A: When everyone's nice to her.
M: Spending time with Daddy, spending time with A and me (when we're not fighting or when A is being a pita). Reading, cooking (sometimes), good food, traveling, talking to friends across the world, exercising.

3. What makes your mom sad?
A: Funerals.
M: Various movies, TV shows, books, short videos, thinking about life before she was married to Daddy, random things (PMS), etc.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
A: When she dances.
M: She dances. And some things she says make me laugh, especially when she thinks she knows what's going on with my modern day high school life (she actually usually does).

5. What was your mom like as a child?
A: She was blond.
M: Shy, insecure, emotionally unstable (cried a lot). But really cute, and most likely very bright.

6. How old is your mom?
A: 42
M: 42... or 43. Uhh...

7. How tall is your mom?
A: 5' something. Taller than me.
M: 5'6"

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
A: Read.
M: See number 2.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
A: She goes to the gym.
M: How would I know? Uh, probably read, computer surf, watch Lolo {my elderly father-in-law} , bond with Gigi {one of our cats}, I don't know what else. Be naked.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
A: Writing a cookbook.
M: Doing something good for someone else. Or writing an autobiography.

11. What is your mom really good at?
A: Cooking.
M: Making me better, making me happy, taking care of other people, being healthy, exercising, setting goals, meeting goals, writing, drawing cute people, cooking, baking, socializing, navigating, being pretty, knowing what's best for herself, picking out things for a house (e.g. paint colors, cabinets, floors, tile, appliances, light fixtures, doorknobs, windows, doors, molding, furniture, decorations), running, biking, math, teaching math, driving, cuddling, hugging, raising kids, camping, keeping the family in a good place literally and figuratively.

12. What is your mom NOT very good at?
A: Singing. And dancing.
M: Being bad at things.

13. What does your mom do for her job?
A: Takes care of my family.
M: Takes amazing care of everyone in the house, especially [Lolo].

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
A: Ice cream.
M: Ice cream.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
A: How well she takes care of our family.
M: Everything. There isn't one thing about her that doesn't make me proud. I am proud of how brave and strong she is, how she is so healthy and lively. I am proud of how I can talk to her about anything (not many people can do that).

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A: Ruby from "Max and Ruby."
M: Mrs. Incredible.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
A: Talk.
M: Talk, shop, take pictures, cuddle (sometimes), watch movies, play video games (sometimes).

18. How are you and your mom the same?
A: We both like to read.
M: We both like to do a lot of the same things. I think we're both pretty brave. We think similarly and have a similar voice. I think that our views on parenting are the same (even though I'm not a parent). We generally have the same taste in music, movies, books, clothes (kind of), and aesthetic things. Oh yeah we cry a lot. And procrastinate.

19. How are you and your mom different?
A: I don't know!!!
M: I don't exercise as much as she does. :) I can't cook or bake. We're actually not that different at all.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
A: She tells me.
M: I just know. The little everyday things tell me that she loves me (e.g. packing lunch, giving me freedom, hugging me, telling me she loves me, surprising me). And also some extraordinary things.

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
A: The gym.
M: She wants to go to Paris and Hawaii. She wants to go places with her husband. And family (maybe). Her current favorite place is probably anywhere with Daddy or the Y. Or outside somewhere.


In conclusion, she's the best mum ever.


Tears in my eyes.

My daughters are more aware of the things I do for myself, for our family and for others than I thought .... they listen to my dreams... and apparently, I look ridiculous when I dance. ;)

I am reminded how thankful I am for my daughters who would not be half as amazing as they are without their dad. We're a great parenting team and it shows in our children. xo

21 comments:

  1. Awwww, Christine!! Great meme, awesome mom and awesome daughters!!! Love the answers :) Your youngest is so cute and wow, your oldest really did answer them!

    I gotta see you dance next time I come over! and LOL at the gym :P

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  2. Awesome answers! And you'd better watch all that being naked when they aren't around :)

    It's wonderful that they understand what a terrific person you are. You've got some wonderful girls there :)

    I loved doing this meme with my kids. I wonder how their answers would differ now that it's a few years later...

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  3. Three cheers for the Gym! *g* Your girls know you very well and are lucky to have such a great woman for a mom.
    Love the meme!
    Hope your Monday goes well.

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  4. How very insightful! Your team has raised your girls well!
    Be naked? That's all she can think you'd want to do when they're not around?!

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  5. nath, I really didn't think I was that bad at dancing. Maybe every kid thinks their mom dances funny?

    Lori, and here I thought my dancing around the house naked was a secret! LOL! ;)

    Oh! Maybe I got this meme from YOU?! You should definitely ask them again. That would be neat to see.

    Brandy, thanks! :) Hope you're having a great Monday, too!

    Gina, she is funny with that naked comment. :)

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  6. Aaaahhh, see they can surprise you at what they notice. Very sweet :)

    p.s. finished Shadowfever and loved it, also Lover Unleashed and liked it too.

    Paula
    Tomes Devotee

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  7. If those answers don't make people cry, I don't know what does. They love you so much! Hugs!

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  8. That was so beautiful, the words coming from your daughters. Precious!

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  9. That was one of the sweetest things I've ever read. I'm sitting at my desk crying as I read!

    Your daughters are so sweet and wonderful and I think it's awesome that they think/know you are awesome as well. They know how much you love them and appreciate the care you take with them. You've obviously done a fabulous job - and they're still so young! :)

    {{big hug}}

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  10. Oh yeah, and "Be naked"? lololol too funny. :)

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  11. Your daughters sound delightful, I snorted and right out laughed a few times. Very witty girls.

    *hugs*

    Happy Mothers' day (it's on the 10th in my country, so I'm a day early)

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  12. Awww. Your daughters are precious. I love their responses and how thoughtful and insightful they are. Belated Happy Mother's Day, Christine!

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  13. I'm glad you had such a nice weekend and Mothers Day Christine! Loved your kids' answers....

    Hope you have a fantastic week!

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  14. You are to be admired and respected... this plainly shows us why. Being a mom is hard, but being a SAHM is harder still.

    Your girls are a wonderful reflection of the special person you are :)

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  15. Wonderful meme! Love their answers, some so similar but others completely different. We not only learned about you - we learned about them. :)

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  16. I am sitting here with tears pouring down my cheeks, but they are happy tears. Really. Happy tears.

    Your daughters are amazing, and a credit to you and their father. You must be so proud! I found it so interesting how similar and yet so different the answers were - what a difference 4 years make!

    And I loved M's answers to Question 3 and 20, particularly one specific answer to Question 3: thinking about life before she was married to Daddy. My inference from that (and the answers to Question 2) is that your husband makes you very happy. And what I get from the whole meme is how wonderful and special and...darn amazing you are. *hugs*

    And thank you for giving me such a positive on a day I was trying not to remember.

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  17. Paula, thanks!
    So glad you enjoyed Shadowfever and Lover Unleashed! I haven't started our book club pick yet, but I am looking forward to it. How about you?

    Maija, I know, right? Quite the tear jerker post! lol

    Dru, thanks. I think their answers are precious, too!

    Tracy, aww.. sorry to make you cry at work! One can only hope they feel so much love for me as we get deeper in the teen years, right?

    You know something really funny about the "Be naked" comment? She was totally just being a stinker saying that... but then today when I came home from my run, I went upstairs to shower. I took off all my clothes, weighed myself, then went to my closet where I have boxes of books to quickly look for the next In Death book and ended up organizing my books for a good ten minutes before I thought, "Omg I'm home alone being naked." LOL! She was right! O_o

    Alex, thank you! They are delightful.
    I laughed at my youngest's response to what I was like as a child. "She was blond." LOL! I still am--maybe a much darker shade than the yellow-blond I was as a child, but still.. LOL!

    Tabz, thank you! :)

    Julie, thanks! :)

    Mariana, thank you. I don't know if being a SAHM is any harder than being a working mom... it's ALL hard!

    Leslie, it was a fun meme! You should try it with your kids!

    orannia, aww, sweetie! Having put some happy, positive thoughts in your head is reason enough for me to be glad to have shared this Q&A on my blog. I'm glad it made you happy. xo

    I think as M matures and begins to be faced with more adult issues and life decisions, she has more understanding and appreciation for all that her dad and I have been through in our lives so far. I think that shows in her answers here.

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  18. Awwww, this is so cute! Your kids are great and you can totally see how much they love you. :)

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  19. Sean, thank you. :)

    little_alys, it is really cute, right? Kind of reassures me that we're doing something right. Maybe all that attachment parenting really does work. ;)

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  20. That is just sweet! I love how your daughters participated and I love how there answers are just so genuine! :-D

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