Advice

As a daughter, I have gone through various stages of thinking on my mother's intelligence. My mom started out knowing everything. She knew all the answers to all my toughest questions or at least did a great job thinking on the spot (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!). She built tight ropes in the backyard, airbrushed motorcycle tanks in the kitchen, made letter pancakes in just about any shape a four year old could come up with, and did a wicked Grover impression.

Then, I hit puberty and those dreaded teen age years. My mom became one of the dumbest people on the face of the earth. I did numerous eye rolls. I was so sassy toward her that had she been the type to shove soap in her child's mouth we could have personally funded the Dial Cooperation. My mom believed in manual labor as punishment- she had her own window washers and tub scrubbers in my sister and I. Even in my early twenties I still doubted her in any piece of advice she gave me.

And then....... (drum roll, please!) I had children! The first time my baby girl needed a diaper change... 'tar' filled I might add, I called and apologized profusely to my mom. She is one of the smartest women I know! I just want to add in this that not only is my mom Nursing Supervisor of a major nearby hospital (meaning she's in charge of the whole damn thing) working 12 hours on nights but she has also recently gone back to school to get her Master's degree in Nursing with an emphasis in Teaching and has raised a village of children- some born from her body and some born in her heart.

When I became a parent, my mom gave me two pieces of advice..... 1) Sleep when the baby sleeps. The dishes will still be there tomorrow. 2) If ever your child tells you bend down and close your eyes, don't! (A small boy wanted to know if a nose would wiggle back and forth after being hit like in the cartoons) The injuries you receive 'accidentally' by a well meaning child will hurt the very most!

5:30 A.M. ~ I laid in bed this morning next to a beautiful three year old little boy. I watched him sleep. He is perfect. His eyes, his lips, his nose. He is so peaceful. His 'silky' security blanket (aka a pair of my satin jammie pants) under his arm and his 'sucky' fingers in his mouth. I remembered my mother's advice... sleep when the baby sleeps. I was willing myself back to sleep repeating this mantra. My eyes closed. Then in my son's efforts to get comfortable and once again with my eyes closed, I got head butted in the nose. I have never had anything hurt so bad in my entire life! I succeeded at not yelling or crying so as not to wake my child. Sleep when the baby sleeps.

See, my mother is the smartest woman I know.