"My earliest memory is my mom picking me up after I had fallen down, giving me a big hug and reading me Goodnight Moon. From that moment, to this one, every single memory I have of my mom is that regardless of what was happening in her life, she was always, always there for me. Every soccer game, every softball game, every piano recital, every dance recital, Sundays spent together at church and the local library. Countless Saturdays finding shapes in the clouds, making up stories about what we would do if we ever met at triceratops, in my opinion, the friendliest looking dinosaurs..."
I'm every woman. Every girl.
I was greatly affected by Chelsea Clinton's speech introducing Secretary Clinton, aka her Mom at the convention a few weeks ago.
It was deeply personal, not just because I'm a daughter but also because I'm a Mom.
To get a glimpse into their life... her childhood... her Mom stirred me. Stirred many.
I don't care if you are a Democrat or Republican (actually: that's a lie, this year I actually do, but this post isn't about that...)
It got me thinking, REALLY thinking about what those memories are, those first memories are that our kids will carry in their hearts.
Not just the memories, the first ones.
Will it be the "I SAID GO TO BED. LAST STRIKE. NO TV."
I feel like it will be all of those.
Will it be the "What are ways we treat people with kindness" lecture and fun activity sit out?
Or the time when you left the playdate early because DAMN, CMON ON KID.
Or will it be the other ones?
The ones I have.
You know, the ones where your Mom spun the car around in the the neighborhood cul-de-sac and you yelled "YOU ARE MAKING ME DIZZY MOM!"
The one where you are in the basement of a parents teacher supply store in Indiana and thinking it is the coolest and spookiest place in the world.
The time you were hiding in the book nook at PK and realizing this just wasn't the place for you.
The time you opened your lunchbox-- ALL THE TIMES you opened your lunchbox and there was a guy that can only be described as a mom drawn terrible hairy guy cartoon, always carrying a sign, and it always saying I love you.
We are in the first memory place right now, and I need to work on memory capturing and chances.
My mom was a magical parent. She captured it all. She still does.
How can I even live up to that?
Like doing the backstroke along with Maya.
Or "Let's make all the silly faces mama!!"
Or "Remember that time we went to Costco and we all wore sunglasses and leis and said Aloha! to everyone we met mama?"
Or "Let's all dance to that song, the one from the Grease on TV, and we'll hold hands and spin?"
I am SO GOOD at the memories they won't remember. Packing lunch. Organizing playdates. Killing it at the PTA. Remembering the right clothes on swim day. Making sure that all the kids can participate in all the possible things.
But the memories?
You know the ones... the ones that they think of in college when they are having a rough day. Those embarrassing ones they groan about to their friends.
We'll make some of those in middle school.
What do you remember about your Mom? What will your kids remember about you?
For now ya'll. Let's do the backstroke.
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