Good Mommy/Bad Mommy

Good Mommy Moment:

Yesterday, Gabriella had Activity Days at Church. They have a new Activity Days leader, who happens to be my visiting teaching companion, Gina. This morning, she called me because, she felt "these things ought to be shared." And then she went on to give me my first big Mommy Paycheck in a long time: The activity had been making Valentines for friends and family, and they read some scriptures that talked about love and friendship, and there was general discussion about love and friends.

And Gina said that my Gabriella told the other girls, very earnestly, that one of her very best friends is...me. That she feels comfortable talking to me, and that whenever she is sad or angry, she knows she can come to me and I will make her feel better. Awe! *Sniff, Sniff* See, that's what they are talking about when they get all teary and flowery in discussing motherhood. In spite of all my nasty moments and lack of self-control and glaring weaknesses, my Gabba considers me one of her best friends.

Bad Mommy Moment:
Eliza had lost her spot in my good graces this afternoon for whining - as usual - and not wanting to eat her lunch - again. So, when she said she needed to go potty, I assumed it was another passive-aggressive four-year-old thing: if I can just get away from the table, maybe Mom will get distracted and I won't have to eat this swill after all. And my suspicions were confirmed when I saw her wandering in an aimless way back through the kitchen 30 seconds later. So, I barked at her, "I thought you had to go to the bathroom! Get back to the table!" "But, Mom. There's curtains in there," she wailed. "Yes, I know there's curtains in there," I snapped in my best, most sarcastic voice, "There have been curtains in there for a long time. I don't know why you're just now noticing." [Endearing, yes?]

'Liza & Yvy as woodland creatures

It was at this point that Hyrum went into said bathroom and came out, carrying the roller blinds (that are, like, eight feet long) that had somehow come down, and were draped over the toilet, the sink and everything else of bathroom importance. Curtains in there, indeed. She knew what she meant, even if she didn't know how to say it. And I instantly felt like the meanie I was.