Friday, November 07, 2008

The proper way to tell your mother to hush.

One of the best things about living six hours away from my mother is that she's pretty much oblivious to my everyday parenting. To say that she is obsessed with making sure that I mother properly would be an understatement. When she calls to check in, I have no problem stretching the truth, "Of course they ate their vegetables today."

This weekend we are off to Chicago to visit my parents. There is no doubt in my mind that as we tuck my children in bed, under her roof this Friday night, she will turn to me and whisper, "Are you sure they are comfortable sleeping in polyester?"

And when we wake up in the morning, under her roof, I will fill their bowls with cereal in front of Saturday morning cartoons and she will approach me and ask, "They should have something warm, at the table. Don't you agree?"

I will climb the stairs and search through my luggage to find outfits deemed appropriately warm enough for my mother only for her to admit, "I would feel so cold without a proper cotton undershirt. Wouldn't you?"

Instead of listening to the pitter-patter of six scrumptious bare feet prancing under her roof she will ask, "Don't you think they would enjoy this more wearing slippers?"

And. By the time Saturday night rolls around my mother will offer me a glass of vino and admit in her broken Eastern-European accent, "You are such a better mom than I ever was. You are so relaxed and able to enjoy them all. I am proud."

So dearest mother whose roasted pork loin I love and can't wait to devour. Forget about their bare feet and cold breakfast just this weekend and enjoy. Live, love, and laugh with me all weekend long. And hush!

79classy comments:

Anonymous said...

Very sweet post! :) Glad that your mom sees what a great mom you are!

OHmommy said...

Nordstroms has their yearly sale going on, which includes slippers.

Fifi's slipper were $9.90 and called "pretty kitty."

Jay refuses to wear slippers.

Lola has a more expensive taste and picked the Made In China designer Juicy slippers, which by the way, were much cheaper then the Lands End slippers.

I heart sales.

Have a good weekend you all!

Marinka said...

Seriously, slippers are like the cornerstone of my family. My Russian mother would probably report me to the authorities if my kids weren't slippered properly. Walking barefoot at home is for animals. Farm animals. Farm animals who are diseased.

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

Nicely said...now, time for me to move...

Hey it's Amy Benson said...

Have a fabulous time! So cute you got Lola & Fifi slippers to take with. Do you really think she'll say all that stuff?

enthalpymama said...

Enjoy your trip & my greetings to your family!

Crystal D said...

hee hee! That was a really sweet post. My girls LOVE slippers, especially ones that are knitted by my MIL. They wear them to "ice skate" on our hardwood floors. My husband, on the other hand, he thinks slippers are disgusting "bacteria traps." LOL I am more of a clean sock girl. I could put on clean socks 4x a day.
Have a wonderful visit. Travel safe.

Manager Mom said...

Aw...that's very cute. Your mom sounds like a soul sister of my mom. Except for the cooking part. I inherited my lack of cooking skills from my own mother. Will you FedEx me some pork tenderloin?

More Miles said...

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your mom and the pork loin!

Heather said...

Have a wonderful trip!

Dennis and Leslie said...

That's hilarious! Good luck this weekend :)

Don Mills Diva said...

That was a very sweet post - I think moms just can't help themself!

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

Such a lovely word, "hush." Too lovely to replace my stand-by of "shut it." My mom reacts well to bluntness.

McMommy said...

Pretty sure we might share the same mom. :)

CC said...

Lovely! My mom just visited us this last weekend too! But she lives 500 miles away :(

Kat said...

Aww. I LOVE this post.
It is so full of LOVE! The love your mom has for her grandchildren. The love you have for your children. And the love your mom has for you. LOVE!!!
And I LOVE it!
:)

carrie said...

Oh, I can soooooo relate. My mom says similar things to me when we are together! :)

And like everyone already said, she is a lovely mom to care so much and then share a glass of wine and praise you for being such a good mama! That's solid parenting, right there!

MommyTime said...

Ahhh, I love slippers. Mine are those LL Bean cloggish ones lined with shearling. Son, of course, has ones in the shape of a fire engine. This is Daughter's first winter with jammies that aren't all feetsie ones, so we have to buy her some this weekend, as it's finally supposed to get cold again.

Have a wonderful weekend with your family!

Anonymous said...

oh how cute! the feet picture is soooo adorable! love the slippers! and my husband's mother is the same way. they are italian, and it's all about "eat more, did you eat enough, are you hungry?" and on and on and on. then i get to hear about how my little guy eats too many carbs! ugh!

Anonymous said...

some times I would love nothing more to tell my mum to hush!!!
lol! :)

is it ever possible? :)

kim-d said...

Oh, I loved this post, too. All of those things just seem to be part of "Grandma's love." And all things said with an Eastern European accent are just that much better. In March it will be 11 years since my Mom passed away. I would give ANYTHING to hear her say she's worried about my blood pressure. When it all comes from a place of love, it's okay.

And, hush is a lovely word; so much better than the alternatives.

AND, I am so happy that everything will be fine with Lola...SO happy!

Anonymous said...

I heart Lola's slippers!

Ellyn said...

If our floors weren't so cold I would keep my kids feet bare all the time. I love the pitter patter of feet on a hard floor.


Have a great weekend with your mom.

Mandy said...

Ha-ha!! Sounds like my mother and grandmother. My daughter must be having a growth spirt. She is thirteen and the shorts that we got her at the beginning of the year are too short for her now. My Grandmother and Mother both were over when I noticed my daughter's shorts. They both jumped all over me and said they are not too short, you are going to make her feel bad about herself. About 30 minutes later they both made a comment about how they can see my daughters underwear when she sits down because the shorts are a bit too short. HUSH Nanny and Nana and let me be the Mom. I've had pretty good practice time by now. A whole 13 years with one and 2 1/2years with another.

Enjoy your weekend if you have to start the weekend out with the drink first. Ha-ha!!! Just kidding. Have lots of fun with your Mom.

A Crafty Mom said...

Awwww those are the cutest feet ever - I love the slippers!! Enjoy your weekend!

GypsiAdventure said...

I just love it - now if I could get it to work on my mother-in-law that would be perfect! :)
~K

Unknown said...

My mother is your mother's CLONE!

However, she has started to rub off on me and now I make my kids wear socks and slippers, I make them sleep in cotton pajamas with undershirts on, and I try (sometimes) to make them eat a hot breakfast at the table with no tv. I even heat up the drinks that come out of the fridge! I am turning into my Polish mom!!!! AHHHH!!!

Tonya said...

I hope you have a great weekend and that you get your wish ;)

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

:) Have a LOVELY weekend with your parents. But DO bring those warm things. It is freezing!!

Anonymous said...

I hope you have the BEST time in Chicago visiting your mom.. and I think that moms just can't stop themselves because my mom does the same.. lol

Anonymous said...

So true! Very sweet!

Kelly said...

Have a wonderful time. Do you only get to stay the weekend or do you have longer???

Stephanie said...

How sweet! You're much more tactful than I would be, HA! hope you guys have fun!

Anonymous said...

Slippers rock! If only I could get my boys slipper-trained.
You're amazing - I would've told my mum to butt out my mid-morning.

Karen MEG said...

Aw, have a lovely, lovely visit with your parents and give your sweet mom lots of hugs from us.

Cute slippers for sure .... sigh...

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

I love that your mom compliments you at the end of all of it! She's a good mom, just like you!

But, why do moms have to question us first? Like we haven't thought about all of these things?

Have a great trip!

Courtney said...

Very, very classy!

Eve Grey said...

Oh the European mom. Always obsessed with how cold everyone must be. Slippers, undershirts, warm drinks, hot cereal, hats, extra blankets. That is my sweet mother-in-law to a tee!

kimmy said...

Have fun.

BTW - love the slippers!

Kimmy

Anonymous said...

Adorable picture! Love those slippers. :)

Blessings From Above said...

Great advice! I hope the whole family is able to relax and enjoy each other.

Have a great trip!

BTW, thanks for the tip about Nordstrom's.

Tara R. said...

That is so sweet. It says a lot about you as a mom that you recognize this as your mother's way and not trying to change that or getting upset. Simply wonderful!

Unknown said...

So sweet...I can just hear your beautiful mamusia saying these things to you :) I can't wait to see you and the kiddos!!!

Jennifer said...

I hope your mother reads this!

Mom said...

I'm jealous! enjoy your visit

tiarastantrums said...

HA! Have some fun in my city girl!! My MIL IS Eastern-European and I have to take SPECIAL care each time she visits!!!!!!!

Caroline C. Bingham said...

we don't do slippers. Bare feet make such cuter sounds.

Nan Patience said...

Chicago to visit Mom? Lucky girl! Have fun. Say hi to the Obamas et al for me.

Bridget said...

I absolutely love love love your blog! I wish you'd post more photos of your Louboutins. They're my next "life" purchase. I've got the Louis and the Manolo, next on my third boy toy, Christian L. Haha!

Funny you write this, I'm far, far from being a parent but I'll be hanging out with my mother this weekend too and I can hear the comments already...oh but how I do appreciate it now as I'm getting older!! :)

Rachel said...

So cute. Too sweet darling.

Have a wonderful time with your mom and enjoy that you already know all of this :-)

Hugs.

Miss said...

I just bough my son some new slippers for the cold weather. ;-) Have a great trip!

The 5 Bickies said...

So sweet and a wonderful tribute to your Mother.

Last Place Finisher said...

For the last 20 years, my mother has lived 2,400 miles away from us and I've simply given up on getting her to hush. I just gave up and spent the better part of a year in therapy learning how to listen.

Rhea said...

I think our moms can't help it. They have to offer their advice.

Being a grandmother is going to be so much fun one day. I can't wait.

Ashley said...

lol well that is one way to say it...hehe

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

Sounds like we have the same "Mother"....except mine is Italian!!

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Lisa

Unknown said...

I like your approach and I hope she takes your advice! : )

Anonymous said...

Bwaaaaaa haaaa haaaaaaaaa!

Mine has rang me 3 times this morning. And she lives up the road.

She wants me to make a decision on what the kids are getting for Christmas cause she wants to go shopping TODAY.

She is thinking dressing gowns and slippers. Christmas is in SUMMER here in Oz.

Have fun!

Tonya Staab said...

OMG I lost one of Flynn's slippers the other night. They were not cheap. We had a school fundraiser at a restaurant. I didn't realise until we got there that Flynn was still wearing slippers LOL. We got in the car minus one. We looked EVERYWHERE. It was gone. I'm devastated. These were not the kind of slippers I can buy again. Now I'll have twins with unmatching slippers this winter *sob sob*

I just read your tweet. Hope you are all sleeping soundly now. Have a great weekend.

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

I think this is my most favorite post you have EVER written.

I love it.

KEEP BELIEVING

Jill said...

Wow... what a spectacular post. This is a must read for my mother... if only I could send it to her w/o her getting upset with me. :)

Jodee said...

What a funny post! I hope you have a great time in Chicago. Cute slippers!

Unknown said...

That was so sweet...mom's are funny that way, mine is that exact same way...

"Are you sure that hat is warm enough? I don't think it's warm enough. I'm going to stop by the mall tomorrow and pick up a warm hat that covers their ears. You can see their ears sticking out, Jen."

*Sigh* Gotta love them.

Anonymous said...

I hope you have a wonderful trip to the hometown. Enjoy yourself.

Anonymous said...

Loved your post about your mom... mine always has the same "complaints" and then reminds me wat a good mom I am. When we couldn't get my kids to wear an undershirt, we started calling them "hugs from Nannie" and told them that wearing it would be like getting a day long hug... now they put them on without hesitation

Mama Smurf said...

My mom lives right down the street from us....like...as in...I can see her house from my front door. She doesn't say anything out loud but you KNOW what's going on in her head when she turns away.

4funboys said...

you got to luv ya mama...

and love the "hush"... sounds better than "shut it" ha

Laski said...

A mother never, ever stops mothering, does she?

My mom sent me a care package in the mail the other day.

A care package.

Vitamins. Swedish Fish (duh). Vanilla cookie bath scrub (WOW). And a gift card.

J got his own package :)

Raising Z and Lil C said...

I hope you had a wonderful weekend with your family :) The slippers are so cute..my son never wears socks or slippers and it drives my father crazy! It has become a game for my son :) He takes them off now just to see what my dad will do :)

Momo Fali said...

My Mother insists that everyone should have on a hat, October to May. When my friends would come to visit, if they didn't arrive with a hat, they sure as hell left with one.

Miss Lisa said...

oh dear--I hate to admit I have quite a bit in common with your mom :0

Cynthia said...

Hope you had a great trip...sorry we didn't get to hook up:(
You owe me some drinks girl;)

Diva's Thoughts said...

What a great post!

Grandy said...

Ooohh I hope you all had a great time!! How sweet. Hope it was a nice visit.

Clare said...

your mother sounds a lot like mine...i love the passive comments. i know they are meant to be gentle reminders, but sometimes it is just too much! i hope you have a great time:0

Rima said...

Are you sure your mom doesn't have a bit of Lithuanian in her? She sounds JUST LIKE MINE!!!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

How sweet! At least she gives you props at the end.

Jaina said...

At least she offers you wine at the end and shows her admiration, right? (and at least she cares enough to criticize?) I hope you have a great visit!

Gretchen said...

Oh, you will be given a special place in heaven for listening to all that your mother says and not going nuts on her. By the third comment I would be all up in her grill, yelling, "IF YOU WANT TO CRITICIZE JUST CALL ME AND SAVE US THE TRIP!!!"

I know, mothers can get that way sometimes.

 

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