Ugly Mom + Ugly Cries = Ugly Moment
Being a mom isn’t easy. I don’t know anyone who says that it is. Well, maybe I know one person who said it was . . . but I don’t talk to her anymore, so let’s not worry about that. (I kid.)
I had a couple Ugly Mom moments yesterday. If you aren’t sure what an “Ugly Mom moment” is, allow me to share with you. To me, Ugly Mom moments are like . . . when Medusa takes over my body and my hair turns into thousands of serpents that wiggle and hiss, and then my head spins around like Linda Blair, and flames start coming out of my ears and I turn all green. Then, the screaming starts . . . I lose all sense of vocabulary, and any ability to form a complete sentence is thrown out the window . . . “AAAAHHH!!! WHAT!?!?!!! YOU!!! GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE!! AAHHHH!!!”
I think a wart, or two, appears on the top of my nose, too.
It’s ugly.
PG is on another business trip this week. This time . . . Puerto Rico. Seriously. Before leaving, he shared the weather.com forecast for his time there . . . RAIN for three straight days. I secretly laughed . . . big time. Ok, I laughed out loud. He thought I was being mean. But I was in the middle of an “Ugly Mom moment”, what did he expect?
If you read my blog, you know that I adore my kids. I can hardly remember my life before them, but I would put money on it that I was a lot prettier, as I didn’t have these “Ugly Mom moments”.
These little girls are the best part of my days, for sure.
But every once in a while, I can’t keep up.
Garbage is piling up, clothes need to be washed, clothes that have been washed need to be put away but I can’t fit them in their drawers because I still have last summers clothes there (which, of course, no longer fit), PLUS last winters clothes (which, of course, are way too warm to wear.) And baths need to be given, because a certain 4 year old thought it was a good idea to put Vaseline on her hair and then use Daddy’s hairbrush to comb it through. And Polly Pockets always seem to find the bottom of my bare feet as I am running with a laundry basket full of just folded clothes (which cause me to fall over and drop basket and all clothes). Oh, and the dishes are piling up. Calls need to be returned. Family members are requiring attention. All this seems to be going on the minute a little voice interrupts me for the 15th time to ask if she can have a snack (when she left a plate of her lunch food uneaten.)
You know . . . it’s just normal life things. Nothing really big. Nothing more than what you probably handle each and every day. And most days, it wouldn't make any difference to me. Most days, I just . . . handle it. But then, every once in a while, I feel like I am going to lose it. Whatever “it” is . . . I guess it's that sense of control and the ability to prioritize, and I feel like it has flown the coup and left me for good.
After an “Ugly Mom moment,” I usually cry. You know . . . one of those “Ugly Cries”, when the nostrils flare and the bottom lip shakes and mascara smears all the way from my eye to my ear. It’s almost as if the only way the ugly mom can exit is by having a good Ugly Cry.
Usually when the Ugly Cry hits, the family has completely abandoned me. (It makes me feel good to know that they each have an internal survival mode that kicks in and they realize they had better run for cover.) Lucky for me, one of them will usually return to the scene, just to make sure I am breathing. I appreciate that.
Yesterday, Katie was the brave one. She found me kneeling down in her room, refolding some clothes from her drawers and putting other clothes away. She sat on her bed and reached down to hug me, as I turned to rest my head on her lap and hug her back. She stroked my hair and told me everything was going to be alright. I think she was secretly grateful that the serpents left.
Within seconds, I snorted one of those “Ugly Cry” runny nose snorts, and we laughed. Long and hard. We agreed how silly the whole thing was. And we told each other how much we loved each other. She helped me stand up and we went downstairs to find PG and Ella snuggling on the couch, and laughing at some program on the television. And we all went about our evening. Free from the Ugly. And completely and totally . . . happy.
Ugly Mom and Ugly Cries. Both ugly. But sometimes, really necessary.
Boy, I’m glad that’s over.
Have any Ugly Moments lately? Leave me a comment . . . I’d love to know!
I had a couple Ugly Mom moments yesterday. If you aren’t sure what an “Ugly Mom moment” is, allow me to share with you. To me, Ugly Mom moments are like . . . when Medusa takes over my body and my hair turns into thousands of serpents that wiggle and hiss, and then my head spins around like Linda Blair, and flames start coming out of my ears and I turn all green. Then, the screaming starts . . . I lose all sense of vocabulary, and any ability to form a complete sentence is thrown out the window . . . “AAAAHHH!!! WHAT!?!?!!! YOU!!! GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE!! AAHHHH!!!”
I think a wart, or two, appears on the top of my nose, too.
It’s ugly.
PG is on another business trip this week. This time . . . Puerto Rico. Seriously. Before leaving, he shared the weather.com forecast for his time there . . . RAIN for three straight days. I secretly laughed . . . big time. Ok, I laughed out loud. He thought I was being mean. But I was in the middle of an “Ugly Mom moment”, what did he expect?
If you read my blog, you know that I adore my kids. I can hardly remember my life before them, but I would put money on it that I was a lot prettier, as I didn’t have these “Ugly Mom moments”.
These little girls are the best part of my days, for sure.
But every once in a while, I can’t keep up.
Garbage is piling up, clothes need to be washed, clothes that have been washed need to be put away but I can’t fit them in their drawers because I still have last summers clothes there (which, of course, no longer fit), PLUS last winters clothes (which, of course, are way too warm to wear.) And baths need to be given, because a certain 4 year old thought it was a good idea to put Vaseline on her hair and then use Daddy’s hairbrush to comb it through. And Polly Pockets always seem to find the bottom of my bare feet as I am running with a laundry basket full of just folded clothes (which cause me to fall over and drop basket and all clothes). Oh, and the dishes are piling up. Calls need to be returned. Family members are requiring attention. All this seems to be going on the minute a little voice interrupts me for the 15th time to ask if she can have a snack (when she left a plate of her lunch food uneaten.)
You know . . . it’s just normal life things. Nothing really big. Nothing more than what you probably handle each and every day. And most days, it wouldn't make any difference to me. Most days, I just . . . handle it. But then, every once in a while, I feel like I am going to lose it. Whatever “it” is . . . I guess it's that sense of control and the ability to prioritize, and I feel like it has flown the coup and left me for good.
After an “Ugly Mom moment,” I usually cry. You know . . . one of those “Ugly Cries”, when the nostrils flare and the bottom lip shakes and mascara smears all the way from my eye to my ear. It’s almost as if the only way the ugly mom can exit is by having a good Ugly Cry.
Usually when the Ugly Cry hits, the family has completely abandoned me. (It makes me feel good to know that they each have an internal survival mode that kicks in and they realize they had better run for cover.) Lucky for me, one of them will usually return to the scene, just to make sure I am breathing. I appreciate that.
Yesterday, Katie was the brave one. She found me kneeling down in her room, refolding some clothes from her drawers and putting other clothes away. She sat on her bed and reached down to hug me, as I turned to rest my head on her lap and hug her back. She stroked my hair and told me everything was going to be alright. I think she was secretly grateful that the serpents left.
Within seconds, I snorted one of those “Ugly Cry” runny nose snorts, and we laughed. Long and hard. We agreed how silly the whole thing was. And we told each other how much we loved each other. She helped me stand up and we went downstairs to find PG and Ella snuggling on the couch, and laughing at some program on the television. And we all went about our evening. Free from the Ugly. And completely and totally . . . happy.
Ugly Mom and Ugly Cries. Both ugly. But sometimes, really necessary.
Boy, I’m glad that’s over.
Have any Ugly Moments lately? Leave me a comment . . . I’d love to know!
Oh, Leanne! Your honesty is so refreshing! It definitely is just one of your endearing qualities!
ReplyDeleteBut your ugly cry ending up in hugs and laughter, so I think it evens out. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a pretty sleep tonight! We've all been there!
ReplyDeleteI know the ugly cry well! We've all been there and it's glad to know we aren't alone, isn't it? ;)
ReplyDeleteOh the Ugly Cry, yes ma'am, I am familiar.
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful family unit, and you are only human! Beautiful soul for sure.
As for me, yep - the bathtub is where I like to cry. I call it the cry/pray. LOL I am "talking to God" and totally feeling sorry for myself. The bath water is running so no one can here. I come out, and I am refreshed.
I hope the rest of the week evens out for you!
PS - Window's Movie Maker (to answer your slideshow question.)
I have had so many ugly mom moments through the years and I have cried and begged forgivenes....
ReplyDeleteYou know Sunday night we had one of our family talks with our kids...they always just tell us how it is {love them for that} and I was listing a few of my ugly mom moments and they were sharing a few of them and I was feeling sooo bad and Dave and I were like we could have been such better parents to you when you were little then Em and Jacks both looked at us and quickly said....
"Are you Kidding, guys?! You have been the BEST parents we ever could have had. We love you!"
Wow, that was such a good, good thing to hear!!!
Leanne, I read your blog, I see your family...you are an AMAZING Mom!!!! And what a sweet, wonderful act of kindness your darling Katie did. Kids are the BEST at forgivness!!
I will check on the dates...I think the reunion is the second Saturday in August...we were planning on coming out earlier that week...but if if doesn't work out we could always go to the reunion first then swing my your area on the way home...and if you guys are in New York I'll be sad and have an Ugle Friend Moment...but we can always do it again!! {hee, hee}.
Oh wow - I almost never cry like that. I just stay Medeusa and it's not pretty!
ReplyDelete(But I always have days like that and my husband has been to some beachy places as well).